Dagmar Möbius

Dozens of TUD alumni on all continents support TU Dresden in their home countries. They promote the university or establish contacts in their professional field. They are also happy to act as contacts for alumni in their home countries.

The program was launched in 2008. “The term 'regional ambassador' was not always understood, “explains the head of the alumni office, Susann Mayer, justifying the renaming. “Now it is easier to recognize them as alumni.” Dozens of former TUD students in a variety of countries have made themselves available as contact persons. On the one hand, they provide support for German students and help them get started locally. On the other hand, they promote studying at TUD in their home country by, for example, giving lectures in local schools or inviting students to attend Dresden summer courses. They also support students in their search for internships and jobs.

Luisa from Italy is always available to build bridges between TUD members, the city of Dresden and Italy. As an example, she says: “A few years ago, I held an online workshop ‘Living, studying and working in Italy’ for TUD students who want to go abroad. The topics were: How to find an internship? How do you live, study and work in Italy nowadays? How much money do you need per month to live in Italy? Do you normally get an internship allowance?”

Thao from Vietnam supports students who want to gain experience at her international school: “I offer internships to both Germans and Vietnamese who grew up in Germany and don't know Vietnamese at all. That means that at the 'Olympia Schools Hanoi', interested parties can do an internship without any knowledge of the Vietnamese language.” At a networking workshop during Alumni Week 2023, she met the TUD's International Affairs Officer Prof. Stefan Horlacher. Through his assistance, a cooperation with the Gymnasium Dresden-Cotta was established, as a result of which 15 students and two teachers are currently on an exchange at the Olympia Schools Hanoi. Her aim is to generate interest in her home country of Vietnam. That is why she has become involved as an alumni ambassador.

Advisory Alumni Board

The “International Alumni Council”, founded in spring 2023, is relatively new. It consists of alumni, each from a different cultural group, and represents the international alumni ambassadors. “This 'board' will advise us,“ says Susann Mayer, who is supervising this project at TUD with her colleague Jeremiah Peterson. “It's very helpful to share ideas and plans with some of our most dedicated international alumni allies around the world – and to know that we have a team in place to help us implement these initiatives,” Peterson continued. The program of Alumni Weeks is developed together with the council, and the council also selects the participants.

Support at foreign recruitment fairs

Several times a year, university staff travel abroad to recruitment fairs to showcase the range of degree programs offered at TUD. They are supported by alumni ambassadors who live in the respective city. During these meetings, they share their experiences with visitors, including what it is like to live and study in Dresden as a student. Even if young people often speak good German or English, chatting and asking questions in the respective national language can often be more comfortable.

Tell a Friend

“We encourage our alumni to continue approaching the ambassadors, “says Susann Mayer. “Whether it's during a business or private stay abroad – TUD brings people together. And what could be more authentic than TUD members introducing their country and city to each other?” Meetings between alumni and ambassadors living in the same area have also proven beneficial. This has worked well, for example, during the Rector's visit to conferences to the USA. In advance of the event, the TUD Alumni Relations Office organized a meeting with regional alumni. They felt very appreciated by being given this opportunity to get in touch. Some on-site activities have already been planned in San Francisco, for example, and a “San Francisco Bay Alumni” chapter has been launched.

Getting in touch is easy

Anyone planning a semester, an internship, a research stay abroad or who has any other request can search independently for alumni ambassadors. They are all displayed on a zoomable world map. Markers indicate the places where our ambassadors live. You can search by continent, country or city, but also by field of study. In addition, you can filter your search by topic, such as initial contact, internships or job placement, or even science or business contacts. A short profile is provided for each ambassador, making it easy to get in touch.

Contact:
TU Dresden
Directorate 7, Unit 7.3 Marketing and Relationship Management
Alumni Relations Office

tu-dresden.de/alumnibotschafter

Film clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0Aaln5OGh0