Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)
Submitted by Ella Brooker on Thu, 14/11/2024 - 14:36
During 2023, the University reviewed its provision for part-time students in order to ensure equality of access to support and benefits, including after completion of their course. As part of this review, it was agreed that students who completed approved courses would be considered as alumni and entitled to receive alumni benefits.
And if you’ve previously studied an award-bearing course at ICE there’s no need to miss out – you can apply for alumni recognition and benefits, too. Simply get in touch with contact@alumni.cam.ac.uk to find out how.
Please note that due to the incredible response we have received regarding the new alumni definition, it may take the Alumni Engagement team up to 10 working days to respond to you.
The person with the job of welcoming ICE’s inaugural alumni cohort is the Institute’s first Head of Development and Alumni Relations, Sarah Austin. Sarah joins ICE with a wealth of experience in the field, having spent more than a decade successfully working across a variety of development and relations roles at the University of Hertfordshire.
“Our aim at the Institute of Continuing Education is to give our former learners a real sense of connection with us. We want to establish a solid base of volunteering, advocacy and ambassadorship that creates a strong affinity with ICE and the University of Cambridge. In this new role, I get the chance to build a strategy that joins the dots between alumni relations and development for our lifelong learning community.”
Since joining in July, Sarah has already reflected on the unique experience of learning at ICE and how transformative studying can be.
“One of the things that drew me to ICE is the diversity of the student body,” says Sarah. “I love the stories our learners bring about why they come to study at ICE at whatever life stage they’re at and the effort they put into achieving their potential.
“Every year, we see people who return to education to follow their ambitions, achieve their goals and get the qualifications they want – and need – at ICE. Education changes people’s lives. It’s such a powerful story.”
Alumni status brings even greater recognition of those efforts, as well as eligibility for a whole host of other benefits, as Sarah explains: “Alumni have access to exclusive benefits, such as a regular magazine, a CAMCard providing lots of concessions around Cambridge, access to the University library and online resources, discounts on ICE courses and the chance to connect with hundreds of alumni groups – there’s so much of value.”
On top of that, they can expect to be invited to special University events, and be welcomed into the wider Cambridge family, and Sarah wants to ensure everyone still feels part of the ICE family, too.
“From a strategic perspective, my role is to think about what this new status means for ICE alumni, what we can do to keep supporting their personal and professional development and how we go about building a thriving and diverse community together.
“But we can’t forget our wider learning community that study non-award bearing courses with us, too. We value them deeply, and we want to find ways to enhance their connection to ICE and strengthen the incredible relationship we have with them.”
As Sarah explains that strategic approach in more detail, her words bring her back to the theme of creating connections through advocacy and ambassadorship.
“Alumni are true ambassadors,” believes Sarah. “They’re the embodiment of where education can take people, and we want to showcase their success and use that to inspire others to think about career pathways they perhaps hadn’t considered before.
“By working to grow our new network of alumni, we hope to give other people the opportunity to study at ICE, widening access, offering financial support through bursaries and closing the gap between the number of people who want to achieve a University of Cambridge education and those who are able to do so. There are so many ways our former learners can contribute to that.
“ICE is an inclusive, diverse and vibrant place to learn from the best academics in the world. We want people to know that it doesn’t matter what your background is, you can reach your potential at ICE and you absolutely belong here.”