We can now track a plethora of information and it can be overwhelming to know where to start. It is often challenging to know exactly what data to pay attention to, how to measure effectively, and the best ways to communicate results. It is tempting to point to the highest number or most exciting result and celebrate that success, however, building a comprehensive strategy to focus on the fundamentals is critical for long-term success. With your CASE membership, you're already equipped with the rich resources of CASE Insights, which assist in showcasing strategic accomplishments and notable success narratives. This session will guide you on advancing your data journey by keeping you up to date with the latest trends and opportunities. You'll also learn to form strategies anchored in robust data. Moreover, the session will shed light on the prevailing trends in philanthropy and alumni engagement, featuring the valuable insights from CASE's benchmarking surveys, and tools to drive informed decision-making.

Join the Alumni data team of Erasmus University Rotterdam as we share our journey of nurturing and activating a global network of 150,000 alumni. Learn how we developed an automated, scalable process for activating our alumni using tools like CRMs, marketing automations and (event) surveys that offer actionable insights to our Alumni Relations teams across the university.

In this session we will go over the journey of creating, testing and implementing such a scalable process. Join us as we reflect on our ideation process and share the lessons learned from our experiences so far.

Drawing on experience from Newcastle University and beyond, this session will explore the potential to radically change approaches to Advancement by focusing on the values of our profession and by affirming our primary role as one of service to our students, our alumni and our donors. The session will challenge us to reevaluate the core mission of our work and to place those we serve at the heart of our thinking and our decision-making.

This thought-provoking and energetic panel focuses on connection to foster life-ready and alumni-ready graduates. Showcasing examples and ideas, this session shows how to support alumni in career preparation, life skills and recognising the value of lifelong connection to their institution of study. Navigating alumni-ready graduates requires a whole-of-institution approach, to collectively offer networking skills and opportunities for this monumental life transition from students to alumni. As we continue to expand access to higher education, more we need relatable role models and inspiring career trajectories for and from our alumni community. Participants will leave inspired with strategies to elevate alumni-readiness.

We know from our members that staff recruitment and retention is one of the biggest challenges facing our profession at the moment. We also know that pervasive systemic barriers exist in educational advancement. CASE is determined to identify and eliminate these barriers whilst providing unparalleled opportunities for all professionals and talent – including those of diverse lived experiences at all stages of their careers to enter, progress, and lead in our profession. To address both the lack of diversity in the advancement profession and the ongoing talent shortage, CASE offers two early career programmes - our internship programme and our graduate training scheme - to assist with encouraging diverse professionals to join the sector. In addition, our Opportunity & Inclusion Centre (OIC) and the Multi-Cultural Network (MCN) play a key role in CASE’s mission to support and encourage organisations to connect with their diverse constituencies and create equitable pathways for current and future employees. This networking session is an invitation to hear how CASE champions an increased focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within advancement. Drop in and connect with the MCN Chairs, Graduate Trainee Programme Leaders, current/past graduates, and host institutions over refreshments. At 14.50, Rob Henry (CASE Vice President, People, Talent, and Culture) will give a short presentation on the OIC and MCN.

Recruiting excellent development staff and retaining them is a challenge. We’ve all heard this before. Has much changed in the last few years? If anything, this has accelerated and evolved, as has the wider landscape. There are more positions in the market than ever before, budgets are tighter than ever, and decision making has slowed down. Potential employees consider salaries, benefits, working arrangements and opportunities for progression, as well as look for signs of good culture, leadership, investment and resourcing. There is a lot of discovering and learning on the job, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. So what needs to change in order for us to be successful? How do we build an environment that enhances the performance of you, your employer or the staff you manage? Join us to hear from advancement leaders and practitioners who will share: (a) what their institutions have done to foster talent within their organisations and get the best from their teams; (b) the different paths that can be considered when planning your career or looking for talent in your team; and (c) what tools and opportunities are out there for you to leverage.

When up to 5,000 people arrive at a venue in Rotterdam for one of RSM’s graduation ceremonies, we want to give them the best possible experience and foster a long-term relationship. Most people only graduate once or twice, but probably travel at least once a year. That’s why, since 2021, we decided to take inspiration from the travel world to make graduation easier and less stressful for our graduates. So, pick up your boarding pass, get in the right lane with your graduation boarding group, and follow signage inspired by Amsterdam Airport to your future alumni relationship.

Delivering excellent customer experience is important in building brand differentiation, appeal and connection - all of which contribute to recruitment performance. But it’s also critical in ensuring student retention, success and advocacy.

This session explores the components of developing and implementing an effective customer experience strategy, focused on developing an institutional culture that can respond to real-time experience issues and improve institutional performance. We'll share how ongoing monitoring delivers effective support and promotes student success.

The increasingly turbulent world into which we have emerged following the pandemic and Brexit has led many people to re-evaluate their careers and futures. For those who love their careers in the Advancement sector, but are yearning to 'shake things up', could an international move be the answer? This session will illuminate the many professional and personal opportunities and challenges that come with taking your career overseas, through the insights of a British higher education fundraiser who did just that, in 2022.

Hot off the press! This morning’s plenary Key Session on accelerating ambitions: a decade of giving to higher education and how it informs the future revealed fascinating findings from The CASE-More UK Philanthropy Report. This follow-up session provides the chance to burrow below the headlines. Using evidence from a rich range of data sets and interviews, we will test the reality of a pack of mythical beasts lying in wait for intrepid fundraising and alumni relations professionals. We’ll slay some dragons and identify some heroes. This session will equip you to ward off distractions and focus on your real challenges.