Swansea University Alumni Research

Research debrief prepared by Gerard Kennedy, Development &Alumni Relations Manager. March 2019

Research Objectives

To understand to what extent and the ways in which alumni want to be engaged with Swansea University.

Specifically:

• To gauge how connected and engaged alumni are with the University and how engaged they would like to be.• To understand the range of careers alumni go into after Swansea.• To analyse ways in which alumni viewed the University while they were here and how that perception has

changed since they have left.• To determine what alumni think of our communications and how they wish to be communicated with.• To gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which alumni would be willing to support the University.

Methodology & RespondentsOnline Survey – promoted by email and social media

3,426 responses from the online survey3,400 responses in English26 responses in Welsh

45%55%

Survey Respondents by Gender

Female Male

5 respondents identified as “Other”. 8 respondents identified as “Prefer not to Say”.

Respondent Profile

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

1940 - 1949 1950 - 1959 1960 - 1969 1970 -1979 1980 - 1989 1990 - 1999 2000 - 2009 2010 - 2019

Decade of Graduation (n = 3,426)

Respondent Profile

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%

Undergraduate Degree

Master's Degree

PhD

Other

Diploma

MPhil

Highest qualification received at Swansea

Over 65% of respondents

completed their first degree at

Swansea.

Almost 30% of respondents

hold post-graduate

qualifications.

8%

21%

71%

WHERE OUR ALUMNI LIVE

Europe Rest of the World UK

Where our Alumni live

83

255233

70 78

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Africa Americas Asia Middle East Oceania

International Respondents by Geographic Area

71% of our alumni respondents live in the UK. 8% are based in Europe with Germany, France

and Greece showing the highest populations of alumni. 21% are spread throughout the rest of

the world.

College of Arts & Humanities

35%

College of Engineering14%College of Human &

Health Sciences8%

HRC School of Law6%

College of Medicine2%

College of Science25%

School of Management

10%

WHICH OF OUR ACADEMIC COLLEGES DID YOU GRADUATE FROM?

College of Graduation

The responses to the

survey reflect the size

and age of our

Colleges.

The largest number of

responses came from

COAH alumni.

Alumni Employment

73.4%

1.1%

4.6%

17.7%

3.2%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%

Employed

Full-time Parent/Carer

Full-time student

Retired

Unemployed

Current Employment situation

The unemployment rate for

Swansea graduates in the

survey is below the UK

national average of 4%.

Nearly 18% of respondents

have retired from work.

Alumni Employment

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

Employed by a Company

Employed by an NGO

Employed by Government or Publicly Funded Organisation

Self employed/running a business

How our alumni are currently employed

Nearly 15% of

respondent are self-

employed or running a

business.

Alumni Employment

The top areas in which our alumni work.

Key Findings:

Almost all alumni (93.8%) feel that Swansea had a positive impact on their lives.

78% of alumni felt that Swansea was a positive Social experience.

73% of alumni feel that Swansea has had a positive impact on their Career.

The most important aspect of people’s time at Swansea is their Academic Achievement and Friendships made.

15% of alumni feel connected to the University. 44% of alumni would like to be more connected to the University.

Key Findings:Alumni connections to the University are reinforced through University emails and via connections with fellow

graduates.

46% of alumni would be highly likely to recommend Swansea as a destination for prospective students.

76% of alumni have stayed in touch with fellow graduates in the past 2 years.

47% have visited the University website in the last 2 years.

For younger alumni social media and contact with fellow graduates is the main way to retain a connection to Swansea. For older alumni the University magazine and emails are more important

Connections to Swansea

Connections to Swansea

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

Contatct with Currentstudents

Contatct with fellowgraduates

Contact with University staff

Alumni Magazine

University emails

Social media

How connections with the University are being reinforced

Email and contact with fellow graduates are the main ways that alumni retain their connection with the University.

(Error bars represent the variation between College responses)

Connections to Swansea

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2016 - 2019 2011 - 2015 2001 - 2010 1991 - 2000 1981 - 1990 1971 - 1980 1961 - 1970 1900 - 1960

Ways in which connections are reinforced / date of graduation

Social media University emails University events Contact with fellow graduates

Contact with current students University magazine Contact with University staff Linear (Social media)

Linear (University emails) Linear (Contact with fellow graduates) Linear (University magazine)

Connections to Swansea

20.3% of respondents feel that their connection to the University has increased in the last 5 years.

34.7% of respondents feel their connection has decreased in the same time.

Connections to Swansea

43.9% of respondents feel that they would like to be more connected to the University

Connections to Swansea

Create/Improve alumni networks

Strengthening the connection to Swansea University

Alumni as helpers as well

as donors

Alumni Events

Ability to connect with people from my course

Reunions would be amazing!

Ask for my support – not financial – for current students

Become a mentor

Send me a copy of SAIL

I run a 150 person business in the US, advising on over $100B of M&A transactions a year. I am sure I could be helpful on recruiting or even to current students on post Swansea life.

Be a guest speakerThe ability/opportunity to reconnect with fellow graduates (we left before Facebook was invented); professional networking opportunities; career support

Alumni Experience

Alumni Experience

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Education Social Career Financial

The impact Swansea has had on the lives of our alumni

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive

93.8%positive

78%positive

74%positive

51.2%positive

Alumni Experience

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

Academic achievement

Lifestyle

Other

Relationships with friends

Relationships with staff (lecturers, supervisors, etc)

The most important aspect of our alumni's time at Swansea University

For those that selected “Other” comments include:

Alumni Experience

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00%

More targeted Comms

Connection to Alumni

Connection to Students

Other

Sail magazine in the post

Reunions and Events

Visit Swansea Uni

How alumni want to be engaged When asked how they wish the University to strengthen the engagement with alumni nearly 35% of respondents indicated that they would like more reunions, networking events and events at Swansea they could get involved with.

25% of alumni said they would prefer more targeted communications that referred to their subject of study and era of graduation

Alumni Experience

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00%

More targeted Comms

Connection to Alumni

Connection to Students

Other

Sail magazine in the post

Reunions and Events

Visit Swansea Uni

How alumni want to be engaged 13% of alumni said that they would like ways to find and network with other Swansea alumni

Of the “other” responses, many alumni commented that they would like more career support post graduation, incentives to study postgraduate qualifications at Swansea or to get involved with the research at the University

Alumni Experience

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00% 45.00% 50.00%

Kept in touch with other Swansea University graduates

Visited the Swansea University website

Made a financial contribution to Swansea University

Provided an alumni profile

Volunteered at Swansea University

Served as a mentor to a Swansea University student/recent graduate

Provided an internship for a Swansea University student/recent graduate

Attended a Swansea University event

Attended a Swansea University Alumni Chapter event

Provided a placement for a Swansea University student

Ways in which alumni have stayed connected to Swansea in the last 2 years

Connections to other Swansea Graduates and visits to the website are the main ways that alumni have stayed connected to the University

Alumni ExperienceWhat is the most significant aspect you took away or learned from your time at Swansea University?

The experience opened up the world for me as I came from a small rural community in Powys. Swansea university taught me

independence as well as confidence in my studies and in friendships/sports teams

I can achieve anything as long as I put in the work. Also, a strong sense of community and warmth.

Meeting people with different backgrounds, nationalities. Broadened my outlook.

Independence, ability to achieve

My growth as a person, I have matured so much and gained confidence to take into the work place

Relationships with friends from countries across the globe

Alumni Experience

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00%

On it's way up - doing a lot of good things at the moment

Gradually improving

Holding its ground

Gradually declining

On its way down - not doing enough to keep up

Alumni's overall impression of the University

The overall impression from alumni is that the University is improving and is on it’s way up.

Propensity to Give

Propensity to Give5% of survey respondents report making a gift in the last 2 years.

Student Hardship is the area most alumni would be likely to support.

In the “other” category environmental research was the most commonly cited area.

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0%

Academic Excellence

Medical Research

Other

Scholarships

Sports

Student Hardship

If you were going to make a donation to the University, which area would you support?

Willingness to Support

Willingness to Support

Total COAH Engineering HHS Law Medicine Science SoM

Offer Advice to students/recent graduates 1534 518 236 139 104 38 344 155

Volunteer at one of our Open Days 377 121 52 36 38 12 79 39

Help providing space to host an alumni networking event 143 44 22 11 17 2 25 22

Volunteer with our gardening teams on campus 87 32 12 7 7 1 22 6

Provide an alumni profile 1194 421 182 86 83 23 278 121

Be a mentor to student/recent graduate 904 306 131 89 68 25 189 96

Be a Guest Speaker 851 292 125 58 75 27 184 90

Volunteer at a recruitment event overseas 645 206 101 50 74 16 126 72

Would you be wiling to do any of the following?

Willingness to Support

416 alumni indicated that they would be willing

to offer internships to alumni

347 alumni said they would be interested in attending our careers fair

A further 226 said they would be interested in more bespoke careers events at Swansea.

Alumni Communications

Alumni Communications

49.9% 50.1%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

No Yes

Have you received the Alumni magazine - SAIL?

49.9% of alumni have not received the main communication piece in our alumni relations programme. There are also some big variations between Colleges.

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Engineering

College of Human and Health Sciences

Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law

School of Management

Swansea University Medical School

College of Science

Yes No

Alumni Communications

68.6% of alumni believe that SAIL is good or excellent quality.

Between Colleges the highest quality ratings were reported by College of Science alumni (78%) and the lowest levels were reported by Medical School & Law School alumni (46%)

15.8%

52.8%

25.7%

4.2%1.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Excellent Good OK Could be better Not great

What do you think about the quality of the Alumni magazine -SAIL?

Alumni Communications

We asked alumni how they feel about our emails

Our email are designed so you can skim read to get the headlines but dig deeper if you want to.

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

No - I would prefer to have more contentin the e-newsletter

None of these statements apply to me

Yes - it allows me to keep up to datewithout taking up too much time

Alumni Communications

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

About right

Not frequentenough

Too frequent

What do you think about the frequency of our email communication?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

No Sometimes Yes

Do you feel that the communications are tailored to your interests or connection to the University?

We seem to be getting the frequency about right but there is a lot we can do to tailor the content for our readers

Alumni Communications

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

The channels alumni prefer to receive communications via

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin

Instagram

Other Swansea University social media

Don't use social media

Swansea Alumni social media channels alumni follow

Email is the preferred channel for communication with alumni. Whilst we’ve seen significant growth in our social media channels it’s also clear that a lot of alumni do not use social media. This places greater importance on our email and print magazine communications