Institute of Development Studies

Alumni Association Committee

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

•  Paul Harvey, Chair  (MP19)
• Georgina Blanco-Mancilla (MP26)
• Nadia Baksh (MA18)
• Will Greene (MP26)
• Mary McKeown (MP14) (Alumni Representative on Board of Trustees)
• Sohela Nazneen (MP14, DPhil08)
• Leonard Nkurunziza (MAGov08)
• Paula Lewis (Alumni and Internal Communication Officer (ex officio)
• Babatunde Omilola (MP25)
• Sue Ong (ex-officio)

The Formation of the Alumni Association

A Brief History
Not only did we have fun at the Second Alumni Reunion on 31 July-2 August 1997, but we came away with a strong sense of achievement. We established an Alumni Association after some lengthy but good natured meetings involving about 40 people, agreed the constitution, elected a committee of five people from among eight candidates (see below), established a mechanism for the IDS Accounts Office to collect membership fees and handle funds, and signed up a large number of members. This all took place in a context where former IDS Director Keith Bezanson expressed a strong commitment to working with the Association. At the next meeting of the IDS Governing Body, Keith proposed that the Association be given a seat, and a permanent voice in the governance of IDS.

Our Aims
Is IDS doing this to try to raise money from Alumni? Although several Alumni are keen to go ahead with raising scholarship money for the MPhil course for students who would otherwise not have access, there was a clear general understanding that as important as this is, such activities will constitute only a small part of the IDS - Alumni relationship. We have many other common interests that need to be developed through communication and networking. Alumni have made it clear that they want to keep in closer touch with ideas around research in development and IDS is forging contacts for research, advisory work and course recruitment. We are relying on the feedback and support that its Alumni give, to ensure that we communicate and work more closely with each other and remain consistent with the general direction in which IDS is moving.

The Association needs your active involvement. The name and contacts of the Committee members are printed above. Feel free to contact them.