Rhodes Business School Alumni Association
(Hereafter referred to as the “Association”)
The Association’s major function is
- To be the alumni body for the Rhodes Business School, maintaining and developing relationships with alumni of all of the School’s programmes
The aim of the Rhodes Business School Alumni Association is to:
- To be an active network of professional managers from all spheres of business, the professions, and the public sector
- To contribute to a positive post ‘Rhodes Business School Experience’ by promoting and providing opportunities for lifelong learning, as well as the continued personal and professional growth of its members
- To increase awareness, and encourage continuous involvement with RIBS and its activities
- To encourage participation in Rhodes Business School activities
- To encourage active support of Rhodes Business School
- To support links between alumni and the School
Membership
- Membership of the Association is open to all MBA and PhD graduates, current students who have officially entered their 2nd year of study, Rhodes Business School staff, Associates of Rhodes Business School, as well as graduates of all its Short Course Programmes.
- Membership is lifelong and free of charge.
Alumni Services
- The Association provides services, news and information to all its alumni in its role as the alumni body of Rhodes Business School. It also serves as a means of alumni keeping in touch with fellow alumni from their Rhodes Business School programmes.
1) Networking
The Association will enable members to:
- Keep in touch with colleagues from their Rhodes Business School Programme and find out what they are currently doing
Establish ties with alumni from their own countries or region and develop their own local networks.
Promote the ‘Rhodes Business School Experience’ to others from the same geographical area.
2) Communications
The Association acts as the central vehicle for communication between Rhodes Business Schooland alumni.
Alumni will receive:
Alumni will have online access to:
3) Events & Reunions
- The Association will run a programme of events in various centres in South Africa bringing alumni together to be entertained, challenged and informed and to meet old friends and make new contacts.
- The Association will provide assistance with the co-ordination of class reunions
- Annual Gala Event Hosted by the Association in Grahamstown, this will be Rhodes Business School's grand event of the year. An attractive programme of events will be arranged to provide an incentive to alumni to attend. The Alumnus of the year will also be announced at this event.
4) Lifelong Learning
- Learning does not stop once learners have been awarded a degree or certificate from Rhodes Business School. The Association will provide a one stop channel for all alumni to keep up-to-date, understand the world, learn new skills, polish up the old ones and discover different ways of developing themselves and their environments.
- Business Forums - The Association will run a programme of Business Forums for alumni and current students in conjunction with the School.
- Executive Education – Association members will be entitled to a 20% discount on all short courses
- Electronic support will be provided on various topics and themes from time to time.
- The Association will provide an alumnus gateway to a wealth of electronic resources for learning and research, including access to Rhodes Business School graduates research, articles, books and magazines
5) Alumni Awards
Alumni Awards recognise the considerable achievements of Rhodes Business School’s alumni and pay tribute to high flyers and to those who support the School and the Association. These awards publicly demonstrate that Rhodes Business School and the Association are proud to be associated with the individuals concerned.
In addition to making the awards for their own sake, the Rhodes Business SChool and the Association have the following objectives:
- To recognise the School’s alumni who are high flyers and top achievers
- To promote alumni who will act as role models for prospective students, current students and aspiring senior managers and entrepreneurs
- To recognise the School’s international standing
- To encourage alumni to support the School and the Association and recognise those that do
- To broaden Rhodes Business School's and the Association’s knowledge of the activities of its alumni, both in their careers and in the contribution they make to the wider society
- The Award will be known as the ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award’
6) The role of alumni in supporting Rhodes Business School:
- Attend the various Rhodes Business School Events
- Assist with events and setting up Regional Alumni committees
- Assist with interviewing prospective students
- Assist with supervision of students dissertations
- Participate in Business Forums
- Participate in surveys
- Participate in modules – industry visits/lecturing
- Assist in providing job opportunities for students
- Initiate sponsorships
- Be ambassadors for the school
- Philanthropic activities
7) Governance
The Association is intent on becoming a powerful force for an active alumni network promoting activities for networking, career management and lifelong learning, speaking on behalf of Rhodes Business School alumni and promoting the Rhodes Business School Experience throughout the world.
The governance of the Association will initially be in the hands of a small Alumni Committee consisting of two Rhodes Business School staff members, a member of the Rhodes Business School Board of the Advisors, and four alumni representing the areas of Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, East London and Johannesburg. The committee will meet at least once a year.
