AUT hosted consecutive alumni events in Beijing and Shanghai. International alumni events are hugely popular, and are an exciting and effective way for overseas alumni to re-connect with AUT staff, meet industry leaders, and to create friendships and business opportunities. The events attracted a record level of interest and highlighted the enormous goodwill of Chinese alumni towards AUT.
Around 200 alumni from different cities attended the Beijing and Shanghai events - some travelling for over 10 hours by night train to get there.
AUT was represented by International Group Director Lester Khoo and a number of academic staff from each faculty. Other attendees included New Zealand Consul General to Shanghai Guergana Guermanoff, representatives from Education New Zealand, as well as Chinese government officials and industry leaders.
During AUT’s China visit four notable alumni in Beijing and Shanghai were interviewed and filmed as part of AUT’s ongoing programme of alumni news and events. The interviewees included Daniel Zhou, Managing Director, Huawei Shanghai; Gary Wang, Founder of LockInChina; Dr Hongtu (Sam) Li, Founder of Dr Sam Li Sport & Rehabilitation Hospital; and filmmaker Wenrui (Dorothy) Dai, Vice President, Phoenix Pictures Co.
"The events attracted a record level of interest and highlighted the enormous goodwill of Chinese alumni towards AUT and New Zealand."
AUT is proud to have close connections with China, with the first collaboration taking place in 1989. This has now expanded to include joint programmes in Shanghai and Hangzhou and close collaborations with many Chinese partners including CELAP (China Executive Leadership Academy), SAFEA (State Administration on Foreign Experts and Administration) and the China Scholarships Council.
