The alumni of the University of Helsinki gathered on the 26th of September 2017 at Bibliotheque Solvay in Brussels to hold the First General meeting of the EU Alumni Club of the University of Helsinki Alumni Association.
Over 60 alumni and friends attended.
President of the University of Helsinki Jukka Kola welcomed the participants and presented the idea for the EU Alumni Club and explained the added value that the Club would have for all parties. The strategic aim for the University is internationalization and quality thinking. The alumni are well integrated in Brussels and the University of Helsinki needs local Ambassadors to enhance the knowledge about the University of Helsinki in Brussels.
The CEO of the University of Helsinki Alumni Association Pia Österman presented the ways that alumni can engage locally giving examples from Beijing and Stockholm. After the presentation a meeting was held at 17.30 where the participants formally decided on founding the EU Alumni Club, decided on the bylaws, and elected a Board of seven people for the Club to guarantee its future success.
After official pictures of the board had been taking the participants mingled talking about their affiliation to the University of Helsinki and shared memories and stories about their experience and career.
At 18.30 the Helsinki Challenge Team joined the event.
Mark Ferguson, Member of EU High level group on Maximising the Impact of EU Research and Innovation Programmes/ Director General, Science Foundation Ireland spoke about New ways of impact – innovation as the only way to sustainable growth. 7 teams pitched about their solutions to xx problems and all the team members stayed at the event and mingled with the EU Alumni Club members.