Developing international alumni activities in Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences : Case Business Management degree programme

Abstract

My thesis focuses on international alumni activities in Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences. My aim was to find development ideas and recommendations for the international side of the alumni activities. I intended to offer realistic suggestions enough in order to make them work in practice too. I put also my effort on finding recommendations for Business Management programme, because I wanted to make sure that international alumni activities get attention in degree programme level too.

The overall purpose of my bachelor thesis was to find out how to develop international alumni activities in Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences and what kind of development actions would be suitable, when regarding the entire international alumni activity and activities in degree programme level. I was also putting my effort on finding out what kind of perception the present international students had regarding international alumni activities and how to get students involved with the activity already during their studies, even though they are not yet alumni. The theoretical context of my thesis mainly discusses the alumni activities and the development of services. The context is concentrated on in different aspects of alumni activities, especially highlighting social media in its services, and overall the service development with a value co-creation approach.

The research in my thesis was based on both a qualitative and quantitative approach. The data was collected with survey and interviews. The aim of the research was to identify areas for development and get development ideas for the entire international alumni activity and Business Management degree programme. The results revealed that many aspects of international alumni activities can be improved by using new practices in communication and other areas of the activity. Important factors were to make international alumni activities to be more part of everyday activities of the school. By creating new practices for alumni involvement work and engagement level will be significant way to inspire and activate present international alumni. Students could be more part of the activities during their studies and work together with present alumni. All the results can be utilized in the development work of international alumni activities from this day on or in the near future.