As part of a new relationship policy with alumni, the University launches the first edition of the Unicamp Outstanding Alumni Award. From October 30th to November 13th, each of the 26 units (including faculties, institutes and technical colleges) must indicate the name of one graduate from the undergraduate course, one from the stricto sensu postgraduate course (master's or doctorate) and one from each college technician. The awards ceremony for the 50 finalists is scheduled for December 18th.
“The relationship with alumni is a way to strengthen the University’s relationship with society. One of our most noble activities, after all, is to train human resources to work in different segments: doctors, engineers, artists, social scientists, administrators and many other professionals”, says professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FCA) Cristiano Torezzan, responsible for the creation of the award and the implementation of the new policy. He calculates that the total number of Unicamp graduates reaches 150 thousand — including undergraduate, master's and doctorate degrees (stricto sensu), not counting extension courses. For Torezzan, Unicamp's alumni network is the University's most undervalued asset.
The award is part of a set of actions that make up the new policy for valuing Unicamp graduates, defined as objective number 3 of the University's Strategic Planning drawn up in previous administrations. To develop and implement this policy, a board specializing in careers and alumni was created, which is part of the new executive board of student affairs. “Connecting with alumni is a way of evaluating the results of our work. Our goal is to intensify this relationship”, adds Torezzan.
Independent criteria
The creation of the award was approved at the last session of the University Council (Consu), held in August. Since then, three meetings have been held with facilitators from the units and schools. From next week (2/10) until 30/10, the units must publish the notices on the Alumni platform with the criteria defined — independently — for choosing their nominees. From 30/10/23 to 13/11/23, registrations and the choice of nominees by the units will take place.
Among the general rules, it was established that people who have a connection with Unicamp will not be able to compete, this includes servers and any teaching activity. “The spirit of the award is to recognize who is out there. If we recognize someone who is inside, we are looking inside. It’s not the goal.” The award has the value of recognition, without a cash prize.
“It is important to emphasize that this is a prominent award, not a success award”, explains Torezzan. “Success is very difficult to measure, including due to the particularities of each unit. What counts is the highlight, which could be, for example, as a public school teacher, or as a businessman, or someone who carried out work that impacted society.”
Although graduates are an asset of the University's courses, many units had never stopped to think about a relationship policy. “In our academic culture, we somehow assign this task to others, and not to the unit itself,” says Torezzan. Few units, in fact, were aware of the Alumni platform, and a minority already had a policy focused on this issue.
The idea of the award was to move the units in a homogeneous way, respecting the particularities of each one, which is why autonomy was given to each one to define their criteria for choosing the nominees. Choosing just one graduate and one postgraduate per unit, where several courses generally operate, was one of the difficulties highlighted. The professor believes that, starting next year, the number of finalists can be increased.
“Given the difficulty, it might be a good idea to create an internal award. The unit itself can select a nominee from each course, making a local award, among which they can choose one who will represent the unit that year”, he suggests. Torezzan. “But it is very likely that next year the possibility of awarding one per course will be studied.”
Attractive vantagens
The Alumini platform has relationships with around 7 thousand former students, some of whom are still active students. The percentage of graduates is 2% to 3% of the total number of graduates from the university. “It’s very low. See how there is a lot of potential for growth”, believes the professor, who cites the actions of student organizations as very positive in terms of maintaining a relationship with alumni.
According to Camila Medeiros Aguilar, technical assistant who is part of the award organization, the units are receiving training on the Alumini platform, so that they understand its functionalities and pass them on to students. To increase the number of registrants, attractive advantages were created for graduates. One of them is the permanent email @alumini.unicamp and access to Eduroam for when alumni visit the University.
Graduates registered on the platform will also be able to use part of the Unicamp library system collection and, soon, even download their diploma. “We send explanatory material, with step by step instructions and the new advantages of registering on the platforms”, says Aguilar.
According to Torezzan, the award is inspired by the work carried out by Inova with its relationship policy with its daughter companies. “Inova reconnected with the companies that emerged here, creating a network that is now very recognized, because it gave visibility to the fact that Unicamp generates companies and generates business”, highlights the professor.
“It was work aimed at the CNPJ. I have no doubt that now we will do work focused on the CPF”, defines Torezzan, who believes that there are many professionals who graduated from Unicamp who today occupy prominent positions in the most varied activities, but have not necessarily carried the University's brand. “These are people who are probably grateful, recognize Unicamp, but are not reconnected.”
historical difficulty
According to Torezzan, Unicamp has historically had difficulty relating to its graduates, “due to the absence of a structured graduate policy”. After graduation, the University does not resume contact. “Now is the time for the University to open up, just as we opened up to future students, with the Universidade de Portas Abertas (UPA), and just as we opened up to freshmen, we need to open a door for our former students and former students come visit us.”
The presence of graduates at the University, with mentoring or lectures, can provide oxygen and bring something new from experiences in the market, the professor believes, which can even contribute to possible curricular changes. There is also the possibility of a financial contribution to the endowment fund.
“Today, the endowment has a balance of approximately R$2,5 million, the majority of which is the result of a donation from a former Electrical Engineering student, who is CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Qualcomm and made a donation that enabled the creation of a scholarship program for women in the areas of engineering, science and mathematics, aimed at girls in situations of economic vulnerability. He had financial success in a company and recognized the importance of the University. How many companies in Brazil are currently run by Unicamp alumni and that have a percentage in their annual budget that can be dedicated to donations, or to courses, or to mentoring, or to sponsorships?”, asks Torezzan . “It is important that we create a culture of recognition and giving to the University.”
Unicamp 2023 Highlight Alumni Award Calendar
- Until 29/09/23 - Definition of evaluation criteria by units.
- From 29/09/23 to 30/10/23 - Announcement of the launch of the award (publication of notices with the criteria for each unit on the Alumni platform).
- From 30/10/23 to 13/11/23 - Receipt of Registrations by the Unit.
- From 14/11/23 to 17/11/23 - Definition of the judging panel.
- Until 30/11/23 - Evaluation of the judging committee and approval of nominees in the Unit.
- Until 01/12/23 - Announcement of winners and forwarding of results to GR.
- Day 18/12/23 - Awards ceremony, at 14pm, at the Unicamp Convention Center.
The Award was created by Deliberation Consu-A-14/2023, of 01/08/2023.
