The Unisa Alumni Relations Office recently hosted a strategy workshop that explored how Unisa alumni relations can be aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and prepare for the human-centred opportunities of the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR). It brought together college deans, regional directors and several representatives and guests from the Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA).

In his opening statement, Prof Boitumelo Senokoane, Acting Executive Director: DIA, said, "After a particular period, there is a forced need to rethink how we do our business. In business, you rethink to stay relevant, therefore attractive; you rethink to be resilient and competitive in an increasingly complex and disruptive higher education environment."

Prof Boitumelo Senokoane, Acting Executive Director: Department of Institutional Advancement

The first item discussed was the mechanisms for creating a global Unisa alumni family. Alumni of the university are scattered worldwide and form a powerful network of innovation and knowledge. This culminated in a discussion on how to create pockets of academic excellence and knowledge that provide opportunities for alumni to give back to their alma mater and their countries and communities. In this manner, the alumni community is a product of Unisa’s legacy, but also a driver of its sustainability and global standing.

Attendees acknowledged the impact of 4IR, which has changed the world into a cyber community; however, there was recognition given to the fact that Unisa’s Alumni Relations Office must remain grounded. Relationships need to be maintained in essential spaces, such as the 22 alumni chapters in South Africa and on the continent, by building on face-to-face connections. In addition, the Unisa brand and important messages and programme marketing must be brought to the alumni stakeholders. In sustaining these relationships, it was concluded that digital progress supports but does not replace the bonds that anchor alumni communities. Discussions mapped an envisaged path to pioneer alumni engagement with technology that can disrupt traditional alumni relations. This will support the objective of the Alumni Relations Office to build sustainable connections across borders and create real-time engagement.

5IR brings about a renewed focus on human-centred interaction, reminding us that technology must serve people and not overshadow them. In the field of alumni relations, it guides the development of a strategy that is tech-enabled but human-driven. Alumni will be empowered to contribute both intellectually and socially, while remaining digitally connected to their alma mater. The combination of "high touch" and "high-tech" will enable Unisa’s alumni to remain future-focused while remaining deeply engaged.

The workshop identified the Alumni Relations database as the office’s greatest asset, housing more than one million records of alumni worldwide. It serves as the foundation on which current and future activities can be planned. Essentially, it is regarded as the bridge that enables the university to engage with graduates across industries, countries and generations. The optimisation of this resource with innovative digital tools was identified as central to creating a sustainable global alumni family. 

In the long term, the Unisa Alumni Relations Office aims to become a disruptor in the field of alumni engagement by connecting with alumni where they live and work, whilst remaining rooted in its unique African heritage. The office further aims to remain dedicated to taking the Unisa brand to its alumni and to encourage them to continue shaping the story of Africa’s largest university. At the same time, the planned strategy also wants to enable the office to lead the way in integrating technology with relationship-building.

* By Cilla Boucher, Alumni Relations Officer

** Photography by Matshidiso Matsane