Page 4 - Thetha Issue 7

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Growing Alumni

Global Footprint

By Director of Alumni Relations, Paul Geswindt

t is fascinating to track the significant global footprint qualifications from Mandela University, but they must
of our alumni, and how this contributes to the strength, naturally only be listed as one person. 23.9% of graduates
reputation and diversity of our University, and to lifelong have two qualifications, 3.8% have three qualifications and
Ifriendships formed, with networks across the globe. one person has seven qualifications.
We are incredibly proud of our legacy of alumni from 13 637 qualifications were conferred on international
every faculty who have achieved and are achieving in their students (citizens of countries other than South Africa).
fields and are sought after in South Africa and around the LinkedIn is a powerful source in tracing where our alumni
world. In this issue we’re featuring 24-year-old alumna are. It is one of multiple platforms we are using, along with
Almarize Kleu (page 68) who moved to Eindhoven in the all forms of social media, emails and the alumni network to
Netherlands a year ago to work for Phillips International. develop a full global picture. LinkedIn Mandela University
She shares her journey and we’ll be doing the same with related connections (December 2023) listed 2 400 for UK,
alumni all over the world in future issues. 1 700 USA, 1 300 Germany, 1 300 Australia, 702 New Zealand,
We are interested to find out more about what life is 541 Botswana, 448 Canada, 390 Zimbabwe, 233 Namibia,
like for our alumni living living elsewhere, and why our 203 Kenya, 116 Uganda, 93 Saudi Arabia, 82 Nigeria and 47
international students chose to study at Mandela University. Vietnam. These figures illustrate that even though we might
This also helps us with our outreach and marketing. only have 15 Vietnamese graduates, there are 47 individuals
Our statistics up to April 2023 show that we have on LinkedIn in Vietnam who have a connection to Mandela
conferred 178 551 qualifications of which 164 908 have been University or its predecessors. There might even be more
conferred on South Africans, many now living in countries graduates living and working in the country, and the various
around the world. The 178 551 qualifications have been digital platforms now help to show these migration trends.
conferred on 127 718 individuals. Some alumni have several We also rely on our alumni to update their profiles and

2 | Thetha Edition 7 | 2023