Alumni as Growth Engines: Transforming Education Through Graduate Networks

Authors

  • Kanchana Sundaram Dept. of English, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad
  • Prativa Rani Saha Dept. of English, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad
  • Jyotsna Cherukuri Dept. of Chemistry, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.16920/jeet/2026/v39is2/26012

Keywords:

Alumni Driven Internship, Alumni Recognition programs, Alumni funded Research systems, NEP 2020.

Abstract

In India’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, Alumni networks present a transformative yet underutilized and untapped resource for the academic growth of the institute and its societal impact. This paper explores the strategic engagement of alumni to address the challenges in Indian Higher education, like employability gaps, skill gaps, research funding, and commercialization, and sustainable funding models for innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, the paper also presents an analysis of premier institutes like IITs and NITs and private universities and demonstrates that active alumni engagement contributes to 25-30% higher employability, 40% industry-academic collaboration, and significant improvements in Institute rankings. The paper proposes a 3C framework:

1. Connect – Build lifelong relationships through digital platforms.

2. Contribute – Enable structured pathways for giving back to the alma mater through expertise, time, and resources.

3. Co-create -Collaborative initiatives to nurture research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and curriculum design.

The paper highlights the success stories of IIT Alumni-funded research centers, the Global Mentorship Program of BITS Pilani, and Ashok University’s alumni-driven internship ecosystem. The paper also presents the challenges specific to the Indian context relating to data privacy and uneven participation across disciplines. Furthermore, the results of the paper highlight the need for

a) Incentivization (Alumni recognition programs, roles)

b) Networking platforms – (Mentorship pods and Digital hubs)

c) Data-driven management (CRM systems and Predictive analysis)

d) Integration with NEP 2020 (Alumni role in skill building and Open & Distance Learning programs)

e) Action-oriented Partnerships (startup incubators, CSR Funded Chairs.)

The paper concludes with policy recommendations for NAAC, AICTE, and UGC to give more weightage to alumni-related metrics in the accreditation framework. The paper also recommends that organizations give weightage to the employees for the CSR activity by linking with their alma mater in their annual performance evaluations.

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Published

2026-02-18

How to Cite

Sundaram, K., Saha, P. R., & Cherukuri, J. (2026). Alumni as Growth Engines: Transforming Education Through Graduate Networks. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 39(Special Issue 2), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.16920/jeet/2026/v39is2/26012

Issue

Volume 39, Special Issue 2, January 2026

Section

Articles
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Scopus
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Europe PMC

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