Alumni Connection Week

Launching Suffolk Salutes 2025 – Celebrating Alumni Excellence  

Nominations for our next round of Alumni Awards will be launching during Connection Week on Monday, 28 April 2025.

University of Suffolk alumni have gone on to achieve remarkable things, from forging exciting careers and conducting impactful research to making a profound difference in their communities. To honour these achievements and strengthen alumni connections, the Alumni Relations and Development Team have developed the Suffolk Salutes Alumni Awards.     

Taking inspiration from English Heritage’s renowned London Blue Plaque scheme, which celebrates individuals linked to significant places and cultural heritage, the Suffolk Salutes Alumni Awards aims to highlight graduates who have made extraordinary contributions.   

Each award is marked with a plaque on the Ipswich Campus, creating a lasting legacy that links our alumni to the university’s physical and cultural landscape.  The awards recognise alumni who have excelled in at least two of the following criteria:

• Remarkable demonstration of compassion, kindness or heroism   

• Outstanding contribution to the educational, cultural or economic well-being of society and/or the issues facing society today (such as equality, diversity and environmental sustainability)   

• Outstanding contribution to, and impact on, the University’s reputation and the wider life of the University community (such as through innovation or social responsibility)   

The awards ceremony will be held in September where our winners will be awarded their plaques by the Vice-Chancellor. 

Open to alumni, staff, and students, we invite you to nominate anyone you believe deserves this recognition and meets our criteria. Closing date for nominations is Friday, 23 May 2025 at 5pm.

To submit a nomination, please complete the nomination form below or reach out to alumni@uos.ac.uk for more information. 

NOMINATION FORM

Your nominations help us celebrate the outstanding individuals who contribute to the University of Suffolk community.  

Interview with the Vice-Chancellor – The Power of Alumni: Staying Connected, Making an Impact

On Monday, 28 April, we hosted an exclusive interview with Professor Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the University of Suffolk. In conversation with our Development Director, Sarah Westwood, Jenny will shared insights into the University’s growth, her vision for the future, and how alumni can support our ongoing efforts. 

Alumni had the opportunity to submit questions both in advance and during the live session, making it an engaging and interactive event. If you missed it, the full recording is available to watch below. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDED INTERVIEW

Connection Week 2025: Lunchtime Live Sessions

During Connection Week 2025, University of Suffolk graduates were invited to a series of exclusive online sessions designed to inform, inspire, and strengthen connections with the university. Each 30-minute session featured live Q&A opportunities, with recordings now available to watch at your convenience on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Here’s a look back at the week’s insightful sessions:

Tuesday, 29 April at 12:30PM  
Session Title: Proud to Be a Suffolk Graduate: What Does It Mean to Be an Alumni?  

The Alumni Relations and Careers teams shared everything graduates need to know about staying connected to the University. Attendees explored the alumni offer, discovered ways to engage with the university, and learned how to make the most of a lifelong Suffolk connection.

Speakers:  

• Kate Burgess - Alumni Relations and Development Manager 
• Vicki Doughty - Futures Manager, Careers, Enterprise and Employability Team  

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDED SESSION

Wednesday, 30 April at 12:30PM 
Session Title:  The Power of Giving 

In 2022/23, new funds donated to universities exceeded 1.43 billion.  In this session we explored the difference that donations make to our university, what are some of the common myths about how a university is funded and reasons why individuals and businesses choose to support higher education.  

Speakers: 

• Sarah Westwood - Development Director 
• Natasha Hodby - Grants and Gifts Officer
• Simon Dukes - Chief Executive at Fair for You CIC and Chief Executive at Fair Credit Charity

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDED SESSION

Thursday, 1 May at 12:30PM  
Session Title: Grow Your Business with the University of Suffolk

The Business Engagement Team shared how the University partners with businesses to support innovation, enterprise, and growth. This session offered insights to both alumni and businesses looking into starting or deepening a collaboration with the university.

Speakers:  

• Graeme Derby - Head of Business Engagement
• Kate Burgess - Alumni Relations and Development Manager 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDED SESSION

Friday, 2 May at 12:30PM  
Session title:  Exploring Social Justice and Legal Support in Suffolk  

This powerful session featured colleagues from the University of Suffolk Institute of Social Justice and Crime (ISJC) and the University of Suffolk  Legal Advice Centre.  Speakers discussed their mission to tackle social issues that hinder an equitable and inclusive society, as well as provided an overview of the Legal Advice Centre, which offers free advice on family law and support for new businesses and start-ups.  

Speakers:  

• Professor Miranda Horvath - Director, Institute of Social Justice and Crime 
• Dr Linda Cooper - Deputy Director, Institute of Social Justice and Crime 
• Eleanor Scarlett - Director, University of Suffolk Legal Advice Centre  

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDED SESSION