BU helps thousands of people reach their potential every year and makes a real contribution to the wider world through its research and enterprise work.
You can support our good work and give the next generation of graduates a helping hand in many different ways.
Inspiring the next generation
Share your story
What was studying at BU like for you? What have you achieved since you graduated? What advice would you give future students?
Today's students really value the advice, opinions and experience of alumni. Share your story and you could help inspire a graduate of the future.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and if there's an opportunity to feature you on our website or in other publicity materials, we'll be in touch.
Or tell us more...
- If you'd like to go into a bit more detail, feel free!
- Graduate profile form - Word (100kb) - download our template to complete at your leisure, then send it back to us by e-mail or post.
Become a BU alumni mentor
Get involved, inspire the next generation and discover the latest talent entering your industry. Our alumni mentoring scheme matches the skills and experiences of BU’s graduates with the career aspirations of our current students.
As an alumni mentor, you will be matched with a student mentee to provide advice on making the first steps into graduate employment. Your mentee will set out the areas they’d like to work on at the start of the mentorship – from improving their CV to interview tips or insights into the skills which employers are looking for.
Mentorships operate on a 1:1 basis and typically last for three months. You will be supported throughout by the Alumni Relations Team.
Why get involved?
By volunteering your time as a mentor, you can:
- Use your experiences to give back and support the careers of others
- Develop new professional skills
- Make contact with emerging talent entering your sector
- Gain increased exposure for your organisation and build new networks.
How it works
Our mentoring programme is open for student applications at two points in the academic year – October and March. We also run subject-specific mentoring programmes based on demand across the year.
We are always looking for new alumni mentors from all sectors and subjects of study. Recent programmes have included students from design and engineering, computing and informatics, marketing communications, psychology and media production.
To express an interest, complete our online alumni details form, and tick the ‘alumni mentoring’ box under the ‘Getting involved and volunteering section’. We will get in touch to let you know about relevant opportunities.
You can also find out more by reading our Alumni Mentoring Handbook (pdf 223kb).
Make a gift
Bournemouth University works with a variety of individuals and organisations to secure financial support for many different projects and priorities.
With support, we can help more and more students reach their potential and make a real contribution to the wider world through research and enterprise work going on in our academic schools.
If you believe in the good work BU is doing, or if you'd like to give today's students a helping hand, we'd be delighted to hear from you.
To find out more about what we're seeking support for, or to make a donation yourself, visit our information pages.
Jobs and placements
Where better to find talented graduates to work with than at your own university?
Advertise your vacancies with Bournemouth University and you'll have your pick of motivated and profesionally-aware students from somewhere you trust. You'll also be helping a fellow graduate get a great start to their career.
Jobs for Graduates and Placements for Students
Hundreds of companies have benefited from the high-calibre graduates that we produce. We can assist your company in finding, selecting and employing the very best candidates to give your business that extra edge. Find out more about recruiting a graduate or placing a student.
Help with events
Near and far, BU holds events all around the world to recruit new students. If you'd like to meet the students of tomorrow and tell them about BU, please join us!
Wherever you live now, contact us if you'd like to help - and we'll contact you if we're visiting your area.
Become an international alumni ambassador
Every year, BU welcomes students from all over the world to study in Bournemouth.
Our International Alumni Ambassadors are those who have completed their studies and are proud to share their experiences with those thinking about studying in the UK.
If you are a former international student and would like to help promote BU in your home country, find out more about being an International Alumni Ambassador.
If you are thinking about studying at BU from overseas, and would like to speak to a graduate from your home country, please contact our International Marketing and Student Recruitment Team.
Meet our International Alumni Ambassadors
Name: Ihsan Kamalak
Home country: Turkey
Course studied: MSc Finance with Risk Management
Current role: Regional Financial Controller for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Clariant International
I chose to study at BU because I was keen to gain international academic experience. BU was recommended to me as a highly ranked new university, which offered a course combining accounting with risk management. My main motivation for pursuing a Master’s degree was to add value to my future career.
For me the best thing about the academic experience was the independent learning environment, the freedom to discuss points with my peers and lecturers and the opportunities to develop my essay writing skills. The university’s library service and technical support services also supported me in my academic research.
By completing my postgraduate studies in the UK, I gained valuable insights into British and European culture which made me realise that I wanted to be a part of an international workforce. My studies also helped to show me that I could thrive under pressure and find creative solutions to unforeseen obstacles, which helped me to move forward.
Away from the course I very much enjoyed being in Dorset. During my leisure time I had the opportunity to explore the region and had fun walking along the beaches and eating out.
I am keen to share my experiences and insights with current or perspective students and hope that I might be able to support others in pursuing their careers.
Name:Angelique Holmes
Course studied: MSc Tourism Management
Home country: USA
Bournemouth University awarded me with so much more than a Master’s degree. I was awarded life-long friendships, unforgettable moments, and life-changing realisations.
BU helped me decide who I wanted to be as a person and what steps I needed to take. The atmosphere that the university creates is phenomenal. I was able to cultivate relationships with people I might not have otherwise met. I bonded with people who were 20 years my senior and also with 18-year-old Freshers, who had never lived away from their parents’ home before. I was able to experience so many different cultures without even leaving campus.
There were several events throughout the year that promoted unity and diversity. I was able to sample food from Germany, get henna tattoos and learn a traditional dance from Georgia all in one night. When I wasn’t exploring the cultural differences that my peers provided, I was often on excursions that BU set up. Once a month, there was a trip to a different city or town in England. It was perfect because I was able to go on these excursions with other BU students and explore Bath, Oxford and Stonehenge. It was a great way to absorb the British culture and get away from studying for a while.
BU has such a diverse demographic of students. You can learn so much from the person sitting next to you in class or on the bus. Take every opportunity to meet as many people as possible. You’ll never need a hotel again!
I have had a lot of different career aspirations in my life. While one of them has stayed the same, I have definitely taken a much different path than expected after attending Bournemouth University. My plan was to go straight into a PhD programme, but meeting the different lecturers and professors at BU changed my mind. I found that the best lecturers were the ones who had industry experience to go with their book smarts. I decided that it would be beneficial to gain as much experience in hospitality as possible.
BU also led me to a career in public speaking. It was honestly something that I never expected. Up until I became a Student Ambassador, I hated the idea of speaking to a group of more than three. Giving campus tours made me extremely happy. I loved being able to share my passion for learning and my love for BU with others who could have the same experience as me. When I was given the opportunity to become a Pathway Ambassador I jumped on it. I now had the chance to spend 90 minutes with a group of people speaking about all that BU had to offer when it came to tourism courses. I blew them out of the water. I was so good that the teenagers were laughing and interacting with me. That was when I knew I had to do something different. I had such a good time speaking and interacting that I wanted to do it full time.
I came back to the US and I saw how hard it was as a Millennial. Companies wanted new hires with experience but were not willing to hire us to give us the experience we needed. The media seemed to be making it worse. We were called lazy and entitled. I don’t know about you but all the Millennials I know are either working multiple jobs, in school and working, or work over 50 hours a week. Entering the workforce is tough and it’s so easy to get discouraged. Not all universities are like BU and have careers teams that work with you after you graduate. I saw this as an opportunity to motivate and uplift people my age and younger. Now, I do leadership and positivity training. I’m comfortable speaking with people and in front of large groups because BU gave me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone.
So, what career aspirations do I have now? I still want to obtain my PhD in Tourism; preferably from Bournemouth University. I want to continue gaining as much experience as possible in my field. I, also, want to continue empowering the next generation of leaders. I have Bournemouth to thank for all of these goals and I hope that you, too, can find something that you’re passionate about at BU.
Here more from Angelique in this short video.
Name: Vedat Guntay
Course studied: MA Digital Effects
Home country: Turkey
When it came to researching the best university for my Master’s degree, I found that Bournemouth University had a strong tradition in teaching computer graphics and visual effects. The university’s National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) had a great reputation and I hoped to gain real-world industry knowledge from the course.
MA Digital Effects offers a unique blend of art and science. The course is not just about teaching software or learning the theory of visual effects. It helps you to understand the visual effects world through real, hands-on experiences and practice. One very special thing was having guess lecturers from industry. I remember Paul Franklin gave as a lecture about his visual effects work on the Inception film. That was a phenomenal experience for us. A couple of weeks after that lecture, Paul and his team at Double Negative were honored at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, in the category of best visual effects.
Of course, there is more to consider when choosing a university than the course alone. Life is not just about learning, it’s also about discovering yourself and your potential. Bournemouth is a great environment to explore. During my year on the course I visited so much of the Dorset area. And of course, going to beach and relaxing on the cliff tops is essential. The scenery is always mesmerising. Another really important aspect of the experience was living in the student village on campus. It meant that you could access university facilities quickly and easily and also meant that you didn’t miss any part of campus life.
After graduation I applied to visual effects and computer animation studios in the UK, but also to lecturer roles at UK universities. Because of my experience at BU, I was keen to explore teaching visual effects. I had an offer from Kingston University to work as a demonstrator and lecturer in computer animation. After this I began to look at other teaching opportunities. I applied to TOBB University of Economics and Technology in Turkey and I am now working as a full-time lecturer. My role involves teaching undergraduate students in the fields of computer graphics, computer aided design, computer animation, visual effects design and motion graphics.
I enjoy seeing how the students learn and grow in their skills and knowledge. Things change so quickly in the computer graphics industry, so learning and teaching is constantly needed and this has become my passion. I learnt such a lot from the MA Digital Effects course and the skills and knowledge it gave me changed my life forever.
Name: Cansu Kurt Green
Home country: Turkey
Course studied: MSc Forensic Osteology
I chose to study MSc Forensic Osteology as I was already working within the archaeological field and wanted to expand my knowledge about the forensics side of the discipline.
I chose BU was simply for one lecturer, and I was lucky enough to have him as my supervisor for my thesis. I had a rough idea about what I wanted to focus on for my graduation project and Martin Smith is one of the very best within this field, who has a genuine interest and passion for education, as well as patience for his students.
I was also impressed by the support from the rest of the academic staff and it was an amazing experience to meet students from so many different backgrounds and countries.
The best thing about studying the course was the emphasis on hands-on training and access to the labs, collections and materials. We did a mock-mass grave excavation, as well as a plane crash investigation at Bournemouth Airport. All of the osteology classes were supported with visual material and most amazingly we were all given one skeleton to work on as an assignment during the year.
As a full-time international student, there are times when you get homesick, but I was lucky enough to have the support from staff and former class-mates and I have to admit that doing the Masters full time keeps you really busy anyway.
I fell in love with Bournemouth, and wanted to stay here. Coming from a hectic city, Bournemouth is a gem of calmness and nice scenery. I am currently working as a Postgraduate Research Administrator for BU’s Faculty of Science and Technology, within the Doctoral College. I am responsible for two departments and I manage the lifecycle of Postgraduate Researchers from enrolment until they graduate.
Achieving a degree at BU was a bit of an eye-opening process for me. It was the first time that I had lived abroad by myself and had to make independent decisions. I developed great friendships and support and also developed my language skills, without which I wouldn’t be brave enough to stay and take up a full-time job. I am the first one in my family to have completed postgraduate study in a foreign country, so that is a very proud achievement for the whole family.
Name: Eunji Yun
Course studied: MA 3D Computer Animation
Home country: Busan, South Korea
My talents in art and computing came together when I chose my major at university. I discovered that I could learn computer programs which related to computer graphics and therefore I decided to study computer engineering at university.
Eventually, I realised that it would be helpful to study programming for 3D animation. My university offered interviews to study overseas and, after finding that the United Kingdom is one of the main countries for visual effects, I contacted the academic lead from Bournemouth University. I was able to speak to the course leader, and some current students, who provided me with the information I needed to confirm my decision to continue my animation path at Bournemouth University.
The best thing about the MA 3D Computer Animation course was that I could meet nice people, tutors and classmates. Everyone was kind and friendly. Also, classmates were all talented in various areas, which meant that I could learn new things from them.
The student accommodation was close to lots of shops, which made it convenient. It was also easy to go to the beach, which helped to relieve stress. In addition, the natural environment in Bournemouth was quite similar to my home town, so I could overcome homesickness quickly.
To conclude, I have beautiful memories of studying in Bournemouth. It was an unforgettable experience.
Name: Luke Eda
Course studied: LLM Public International Law
Home country: Nigeria
I choose to study at Bournemouth because the university’s law department has a particular interest in the field of public international law, which complements my own research interests. The course offered me an opportunity to develop my research skills, which significantly improved my ability to put forward ideas clearly and concisely.
The university is blessed with some of the best academics in the world and a friendly student support community. I loved every bit of my stay in Bournemouth. The town offers a peaceful and homely environment with a lot of tourist attractions and amazing sandy beaches.
Studying at a UK university gave me the opportunity to understand the world better and share the values of our common humanity together.
After completing my initial qualification, I decided to further my studies at BU. I strongly believe that my doctoral studies will advance my academic career goals by adding to my skill set, as well as allowing me to learn within a supported, friendly environment that I am already familiar with. I believe that the university is adequately preparing me to meet the demands of my long-term career aspirations. I want to be an academic. I see myself teaching different aspects of the law within the higher education sector in the years ahead.
Organise a reunion
Reconnect with former classmates and relive your university experiences by organising a reunion. Download our short Alumni Reunion Guide (pdf 348kb) to get started.
Back to school scheme
Share your journey and inspire the next generation of students by revisiting your previous school or college.
BU would like you to go back to your school or college to present information about life at university and the opportunities on offer.
'Back to school' is not only designed to promote university life in general, but also Bournemouth University and your experiences here.
Support from BU
BU will support you by providing:
- An email template for sending to your school or college after your initial phone conversation
- A presentation containing key information about BU, ready for you to adapt to make it your own
- Help with any queries you may have
Get involved
If you have any questions or would like to discuss taking part in more detail, email us or call 01202 963999.
SUBU community volunteering
As one of Bournemouth University's alumni, you have also have access to a wide range of volunteering opportunities through SUBU Volunteering which matches people interested in volunteering with the organisations who need them.
Opportunities come from a range of local, national and international organisations that conform to a clear code of practice, which ensures the health and safety of the volunteer and the quality of the opportunity. So, whether you want to volunteer for laying paths on Brownsea, painting murals or taking disabled young adults to the pub, now you can find the right opportunity.
You can also use SUBU Volunteering to advertise for volunteers for community activities you are involved in organising.