Alumni in the world
Maastricht University has a vibrant alumni community: a global network of more than 70,000 graduates. We are keen on staying in touch with our graduates who are living and working all over the world. In order to do so, we host an Alumni Portal and facilitate Alumni Circles in 32 cities in 16 countries.
Without a doubt, our graduates are internationally oriented:
- they have studied in an international classroom where half of the students came from abroad
- most of our programmes are offered either fully or partly in English
- most of our programmes have a distinctly international outlook
- nearly 40% have studied or done an internship abroad
- they have been taught by academic staff members, of whom 40% come from abroad and most of whom are involved in international research partnerships
Working closely with other international students has successfully prepared UM graduates for the rapidly changing global labour market. They are in high demand from employers who often praise their intercultural communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Fast Facts
- 70,000 alumni in 154 countries
- 40% international
- 80+ alumni events each year
- multifunctional alumni portal
Connecting with alumni around the world
Alumni Portal
Our new Alumni Portal allows our alumni, especially our alumni living abroad, to stay connected with us and with one another. Alumni can get in touch with old classmates and register for events from anywhere in the world.
Alumni Circles
Whether our alumni come from abroad and live in the Netherlands, or come from the Netherlands and live abroad, they can stay in touch through our Alumni Circles. UM, together with committed alumni in these circles, organises a variety of get-togethers on a regular basis, ranging from lectures to company visits and networking events. Check out the table below to see where our Alumni Circles are located and click on the location to find all of the events in the area.
Fast facts
- Total number of alumni: 67,573 (62% Dutch, 38% international)
- Country of residence: 68,6% Netherlands (26% of whom in Limburg), 39% (EU)region, 29.1% Europe, 2.3% outside Europe
- Stay rate: 20% of internationale UM alumni stays in the Netherlands after graduation (nationwide: 25%)
Working with our internationally oriented alumni
Are you looking to attract globally oriented graduates who have experience working in groups with people from different cultural backgrounds and approaching issues from a variety of perspectives? Visit our Hire our students page to find how you can attract UM graduates or even current students to work with your company.
International alumni in the spotlight
Samuel Laurinkari: "Feeling at home at the interface of law, business, and politics"
Samuel Laurinkari, originally from Finland, is Head of European Affairs at E-Bay. He is the linking pin between E-Bay and the European institutions when it comes to legislation or policies that affect their platform or stakeholders. “I share our views on the regulatory framework and related policies with European policymakers. Sometimes that includes telling them that something is not a good idea, something that includes supporting ideas that have been put forward. As eBay is an open commerce platform, there’s a huge amount of legislation impacting us and our users."
Paulien de Haes: "The perfect generalist for the job"
Ten months ago, Paulien de Haes (32) moved to Tripoli in Lebanon for the mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). With her degree in business economics and majors in organisation and sustainability, Paulien is the perfect generalist for the multifaceted job of Finance and Administration Manager. "I have always been internationally oriented. I also find it extremely motivating to work for an organisation which I believe in. That really runs deep. As a result, it didn't come as a shock to my parents when I started working for the ICRC and was posted abroad."
Luise Ammerschuber: "A passion for international relations"
It was Luise’s passion for international relations that brought her to Maastricht. She had been doing internships and volunteer jobs for various NGOs like Amnesty International, women’s shelters and refugee aid organisations since she was fifteen. When she first heard about University College Maastricht (UCM), she decided to visit and was persuaded by the inspiring place right away. She graduated from UCM in 2012 and with an LLM Globalization & Law: Human Rights in 2014. She now works for The Salvation Army as Governance & Accountability Program Manager and as the leader of the Good Governance Task Force at Bread For All in Switzerland.
Alumni promoting UM abroad
UM visits education fairs worldwide to attract talented new students from abroad. At these fairs, UM staff and current students like to team up with alumni when possible, so they can share what it’s like to study at UM and then work abroad. Alumni often have a distinctive credibility to prospective students and personal interaction with them can make a difference in helping them make an informed choice for UM.
If you’re a UM graduate living abroad and would like to help encourage the next generation of students to study at UM, sign up to help promote your alma mater
“If I can help others with such important life decisions, I feel satisfied. And I like to show my respect and loyalty to people who always treated me well in Maastricht.”
Alumnus David Valente (SBE), participated in a master’s education fair in Warsaw
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