The 21st October 2016 marked an important milestone in the AAS’s long history. RMIT University, James Cook University and Murdoch University entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the AAS and became AAS Partner Universities (“PUs”). These Australian universities are amongst the largest international universities in Singapore with a cohort of over 12,500 students based in Singapore, 6000 students graduating each year in Singapore and a Singapore alumni base of over 50,000.
Reconnecting "lost" Alumni
Together with the AAS, the Partner Universities seek to build a large and vibrant alumni base. With that objective in mind, a critical component of the scheme is to perform a public Facebook and LinkedIn “Reconnect With Your Alumni” membership campaign. The campaign’s objective is to engage and locate “lost” alumni and/or to validate and build the Singapore local chapters alumni databases.
Leonie Boxtel, the Director of Alumni and Philanthropy, RMIT University summed it up, “Our most valuable asset is our member database. It goes without saying being able to
contact our members is a clear benefit of becoming a Partner University”.
The first phase of the campaign lasted 2 months (November and December 2016) and was managed by the AAS. "Using one campaign manager and one “advertisement” to promote all 3 universities simultaneously achieved economies of scale to the benefit of the all Partner Universities and the AAS. " stated Peter Tan, AAS Membership and Partner University leader. "Equally important, alumni members were motivated to sign up to campaigns in order to access networking opportunities across the AAS Australian universities network, as well as their own university of graduation."
transforming the AAS Revenue Model
A major benefit of the Partner University scheme
design is the offer of 100% subsidised (FREE) AAS membership to all RMIT, JCU and Murdoch students and alumni members. Hand-in-hand with the public membership drive, the Partner Universities are able to continue to publicly demonstrate their alumni organisations care for and wish to continue to engage with their members through the gift of free AAS membership. To date over 1,500 RMIT, James Cook and Murdoch students have signed-up to become AAS members.
This has been a “win-win” according to Chris Cheah, AAS President. “Not only do the Partner Universities alumni chapters benefit through validating their alumni databases and showing that they continue to engage and care for their members but by providing free AAS membership, it delivers improved value to Members and changes the AAS revenue model”.
“The AAS is now in a stronger position to expand services for our members and deliver on our new 3 year strategic plan - to connect, engage and celebrate our Alumni. With a larger membership base, we are subsidised by our Partner Universities annual fee and can provide an array of new digital benefits to our Members and Partners.
The Way Forward
“Building on our success and example of the 3 Partner Universities, it is AAS’s intent to roll out a smaller and lighter scheme to our other potential university partners” according to Chris Cheah.
“There are over 25 Australian Universities with a smaller Singapore student foot-print, who would also like to reconnect with their Alumni and access wider professional development and networking opportunities across the Australian Alumni community. The AAS is an umbrella platform bringing together graduates and students of ALL Australian tertiary and professional institutions on one platform. This rich diversity is an asset for the AAS, our members, our Partner Universities and our key stakeholders and supports the spirit of our 2 countries Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Global Alumni Engagement Strategy.”
Photo: (L to R) Australian High Commission: Andrew MacIntyre, RMIT; Dale Anderson, JCU; Eeva Leinonen, Murdoch University, Chris Cheah, AAS
JCU, MURDOCH AND RMIT SIGN their alumni into the AAS partner university program
The MoU provides a framework for expanding the AAS membership and services to up to 68,500 new members over the next 2 years. Combined with our current membership that is more than half of the Australian Alumni population in Singapore.