Volunteer consuls host MBA students, staff and alumni in Berlin
Posted on behalf of: Serena Mitchell
Last updated: Friday, 9 June 2017
Three University of Sussex volunteer consuls based in Berlin helped organise a successful alumni networking event for 18 Sussex MBA students and staff as part of a study visit in March 2017.
Consuls Camillo Beretta (EURO 1999), Paulo Melo (SMS 2000), and Madelon Fleminger (HUMS IDP, 2005) worked alongside Isabel Fischer, Director, MBA programme, and Ankle Akoachere, faculty member, to plan the evening event.
This formed part of a wider four day study tour to Berlin for the MBA students, where they met with the Ministry of Economy and Energy, two start-up businesses Project A and Rocket Internet, venture capital firms, researchers from the WZB (Berlin Social Science Centre) as well as Sussex alumni.
The relaxed and sociable evening, held at the Wartesaal Restaurant near the famous Berlin Bahnhof Zoo, was an opportunity for the consuls and fellow alumni to get together with current students and staff. They enjoyed reminiscing about the shared experience of studying at Sussex University across a variety of disciplines, alongside exchanging cultural and professional insights and connections.
Everyone had fun and felt the whole event worthwhile.
Camillo said:
'I have fond memories of the event, it allowed me to re-live, for one evening, some of the lively academic political discussions of my time at Sussex.'
Alumna Barbara Jakoby, (AFRAS 1982) commented:
'I spent a lovely inspiring evening which brought back good memories of Sussex. Thank you BMEc for the hospitality.'
Become a Volunteer Consul
Alumni Consuls are former Sussex students who live outside the UK and act as ambassadors for the University in their home country. The role is very flexible - some consuls are only able to provide local knowledge and answer emails from prospective students; others are very proactive, help at recruitment fairs and hold regular events for their local alumni community.
Once you have signed up, your name and email address will be publicly listed on the Sussex alumni and recruitment website. From here, prospective students may email to ask you about your time at Sussex, or alumni living locally might get in touch to see if you are planning any get-togethers.