2027 EFMD Alumni Professionals Conference

Elevating alumni relations: From engagement to strategic impact

Face to Face

24 February

- 26 February

Barcelona,

Spain

diana.grote@efmdglobal.org

Event details

The objective of the EFMD Alumni Professionals Conference is to create a dedicated forum for networking, exchange, and professional development among alumni relations professionals.

The conference will enable participants to stay informed about emerging trends, innovative practices, and strategic developments in alumni engagement while building connections with peers facing similar opportunities and challenges.

The conference aims to support professionals from schools with mature alumni operations as well as those seeking to further develop their alumni engagement strategies and activities.

Target group

This conference targets business school professionals responsible for alumni relations, alumni engagement, and alumni community development.

Participants may include Directors and Managers of Alumni Relations, Alumni Engagement Officers, Community Managers, Lifelong Learning professionals, and other business school professionals with responsibility for developing and maintaining relationships with alumni.

Programme

15:30 – 16:00

Welcome coffee

16:00 – 16:30

Welcome & introduction by the Chair

Welcome to the conference and opening remarks.

16:30 – 17:30

Opening plenary: What are the components of a good alumni strategy?

What makes an effective alumni strategy? This opening plenary explores the key elements of a successful approach, from defining clear objectives and engaging diverse alumni communities to aligning with institutional priorities and measuring impact. Participants will gain practical insights into building a strategy that fosters meaningful, lifelong relationships with alumni.

Kathy Edersheim, President, Impactrics, Community Building Expert, US

17:30 – 19:00

Ice-breaking activity

An interactive networking activity designed to help participants get to know one another and start building connections.

19:30

Dinner

08:30 – 09:00

Welcome coffee

09:00 – 10:00

Strategy in action: A best practices showcase

UNIFIT and EADA share the story of their collaboration, highlighting what made the partnership successful, the adjustments required along the way, and the key challenges they encountered. Through this case study, participants will gain practical insights and lessons applicable to their own collaborative alumni initiatives.

10:00 – 10:30

Coffee break

10:30 – 11:45

Performance metrics in alumni relations

Alumni relations professionals are increasingly expected to demonstrate the impact of their work through meaningful data and clear performance indicators. This panel explores which metrics matter most, how to measure engagement beyond participation numbers, and how to assess the return on investment of alumni relations activities.

Alfons Sauquet, Director, Quality Services & EQUIS, EFMD Global

11:45 – 12:45

Alumni from Day 1

Participants will learn from one another how institutions engage students before they become alumni. Feedback from the small-group discussions on Day 1 will be presented to the wider audience.

12:45 – 14:15

Lunch

14:15 – 15:45

World Café

Participants will explore a range of topics through interactive round-table discussions. Each table will focus on a dedicated theme and be facilitated throughout the session, while participants rotate between tables according to their interests. This format encourages peer learning, knowledge sharing and the exchange of practical experiences.

15:45 – 16:15

Coffee break

16:15 – 17:15

Alumni testimonials panel

Alumni from different institutions will share their experiences after graduation, discussing what meaningful alumni engagement looks like from their perspective, what motivates them to stay connected, and the initiatives and opportunities they value most.

20:00

Dinner

08:30 – 09:00

Welcome coffee

09:00 – 10:00

Fundraising and alumni

As alumni engagement and fundraising become increasingly interconnected, business schools must find ways to cultivate meaningful, long-term relationships while maintaining trust and transparency. This session explores how institutions can integrate alumni relations and fundraising strategies, create a culture of philanthropy, and communicate the impact of giving effectively.

10:00 – 10:30

Coffee break

10:30 – 11:45

Fishbowl: Share your challenge

An interactive session where participants discuss current challenges, exchange ideas and collectively explore practical solutions with their peers.

11:45 – 12:45

What does the research say on what alumni relations look like in the future?

This session explores the latest research and emerging trends shaping the future of alumni engagement. Participants will discuss how changing expectations, new technologies and evolving institutional priorities are transforming the field and how business schools can prepare for what comes next.

Maria Gallo, Alumni Strategist & Assistant Professor in Social Innovation, Trinity Business School, IE

12:45 – 13:15

Closing remarks

13:15 – 14:30

Lunch

Accommodation

EFMD has negotiated preferential rates at the following hotels:

Hotel CRAM Barcelona 4*

Located a 6-minute walk from the campus
Rates from €132 per night
Please note that all rooms are subject to availability at the time of booking.

To make a reservation, please visit the hotel’s official website and enter the promotional booking code EADA27 to receive a 10% discount. We kindly ask you to also include “EADA” in the comments field when making your reservation.

Hotel Arconte 4*

Located a 6-minute walk from the campus
Rates from €128 per night
Please note that all rooms are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Hotel Catalonia Boulevard 4*

Located a 9-minute walk from the campus
Rate: €220 per night, including breakfast, plus €9.24 city tax
Payment for the first night is required upon confirmation.
Cancellation policy: The first night is non-refundable. The remaining nights may be cancelled free of charge up to 6 days prior to arrival.
All rooms will be released on 20 January 2027.

To make a reservation, please visit the hotel’s official website, select Catalonia Boulevard hotel and enter the promotional booking code EFMDAISBL.

Registration fees

Early bird fee until 24 January 2027 included:

968€ (800€ + 21% VAT) members of EFMD
1391,50€ (1150€ +21% VAT) non-members of EFMD
1996,50€ (1650€ + 21% VAT) third-party*

Conference fee as of 25 January 2027:

1452€ (1200€ + 21% VAT) members of EFMD
1875,50€ (1550€ +21% VAT) non-members of EFMD
2480€ (2050€+21% VAT) third-party*

The conference fee excludes travel expenses and local accommodation.

Please note that a 25% discount applies for every third and subsequent participant from the same institution. If you are your institution’s third person to register, please contact alumni@efmdglobal.org to receive your registration link.

* The third-party fee is aimed at EFMD non-members who are not representatives of universities, business schools or corporate universities.

Cancellation policy

Cancellations must be confirmed in writing. If EFMD is notified of your withdrawal by 24 January 2027, an administrative cancellation fee of (75€ + local VAT) will apply. After this date, we regret that no refunds can be issued. However, substitutions are allowed at no additional cost, provided EFMD is informed of the substitute’s name, title, and address. Event fees are not transferable to other EFMD events.

Host

Venue

EADA Business School

Barcelona Campus Provença – Campus 2
Carrer de Provença, 216 – 08036
Barcelona, Spain

How to get there

Arriving from the airport:

Barcelona Airport is located 25 minutes from the city, in El Prat de Llobregat.

You can reach Campus 2 and its nearby hotels from the airport:

By taxi: There are plenty available at the taxi rank just outside the airport exit. The fare is €40–€45.

– Public service taxis in Barcelona are black and yellow. Fares are based on time and distance traveled. They can be booked:

– In person: a green light indicates availability; you can hail them from the street by raising your hand.

Taxis are constantly circulating throughout Barcelona; you simply need to look for one nearby with its green light on to hail it. However, there are also taxi stands across the city where you can go directly to catch one. The stand closest to EADA Campus 2, where taxis are immediately available, is located at the corner of Enric Granados and Rosellón streets.

– Online taxis: there are multiple booking apps; Yellow-Taxi, Taxi Ecològic, and Picmi Taxi are the most well-known.

– Private taxi companies operating with fixed-price fares per trip:

– Uber

– Cabify (local)

By public transport:

– Aerobús (https://aerobusbarcelona.es/en/)

This shuttle runs from the airport and stops at Plaça Universitat. The fare is €7.45.

From there, you can reach the campus by taxi or by taking Metro Line 1 (Red) from Plaça Universitat to Plaça Catalunya, transferring to Line 3 (Green), and getting off at Passeig de Gràcia.

– A single metro ticket costs €2.90 If you are staying for several days, it is worth getting a pass for the duration of your visit (2, 3, 4, or 5 days). You can view all fares here:

https://www.tmb.cat/en/barcelona-fares-metro-bus/transport-ticket-fares

Arriving by train:

Trains to Barcelona typically arrive at Sants Station (the main station), which is a 15-minute taxi ride from Campus 2. There is a taxi stand just outside the station or take Metro Line 3 from the same station to Passeig de Gràcia (you will be a 10-minute walk from Campus 2)

Getting around by metro:

The closest metro to campus is:

– FGC (Ferrocarrils Generalitat Catalunya), Provença stop (5 minutes from campus)

– Metro Line 3 (green) Passeig de Gracia stop (10 minutes)