University of Nova Gorica Alumni Community Meets in Ajdovščina
On 17 September, Ajdovščina hosted the traditional biennial gathering of the University of Nova Gorica alumni community, bringing together former students and employees of the university once again this year. The Alumni Club now has 2,108 members, including 1,167 graduates, 640 master’s degree holders, and 301 PhD holders.
The gathering was primarily an opportunity for relaxed socialising and reconnecting, while also providing a chance to reflect on the importance of the community that the university continues to build even after students complete their studies. In his address, Rector of the University of Nova Gorica Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob emphasised that the university community is made up of more than just current students and employees.
“The university community is therefore not merely the university in the narrow, present-day sense of the word; you, our alumni, are an inseparable part of it as well,” the Rector said.
Alumni are an important part of the story and identity of the University of Nova Gorica. Their professional careers, knowledge, achievements and experiences represent a continuation of the university’s mission beyond its campuses. “Your smaller and greater successes together form the image of our university. Your stories, each individual career path, are also part of our identity,” Prof. Dr. Golob said.
He stressed that the relationship between the university and its graduates does not end when studies are completed. On the contrary, maintaining these connections creates opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, collaboration and new partnerships. The university is an important centre of knowledge and professional expertise, while alumni can also turn to their former academic environment when seeking solutions to professional challenges or establishing new forms of cooperation.
“Our colleagues at the university are ready to engage in discussions with alumni. Perhaps, while addressing one of the challenges together, we may come up with an idea for a new collaboration or identify a question worthy of scientific consideration,” the Rector said. He also recalled the message he gives to newly graduated students every year: after completing their studies, they should not become strangers to the university, but should continue to return to their alma mater.
An important part of the wider university community is also the University of Nova Gorica Foundation, which is celebrating 25 years of activity this year. Through its funds and scholarships, the Foundation supports students in a range of fields, including through the Scholarship Fund for Students Athletes “Matija Franko”, the Fund for Talented Students “Edvard Rusjan”, the Fund for Development of Viticulture and Enology, and the Fund for Scientific Research and Artistic Activities.
The university also expressed its appreciation for any support alumni may wish to provide to the Foundation’s work.
The university community has also expanded in recent years through international partnerships. For two years, the University of Nova Gorica has been a member of the Across – the European Cross-Border University. The alliance brings together 9 + 1 European universities with more than 100,000 students and approximately 11,000 employees. The network creates new opportunities for mobility, joint academic activities, collaboration and access to centres of knowledge across Europe.
At the gathering, the Rector also presented the idea of establishing an UNG Ambassadors programme, through which the university aims to bring the stories of its alumni closer to the wider public. Selected alumni would represent the university in their respective communities through their work, achievements and experiences, sharing their professional journeys and their connection with the University of Nova Gorica. Further details about the programme will be presented by the university in the future.
This year’s traditional gathering once again confirmed that the university is not merely a place where education and research take place, but a community that continues to connect its members even after they have completed their studies. The evening in Ajdovščina was marked by pleasant socialising, the exchange of memories and experiences, as well as new connections and opportunities for collaboration. The musical accompaniment was provided by Samo Hude on piano and Lenart De Bock on saxophone.
Prepared by: Andreja Leban
