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The alumni volunteers behind Queen’s alumni branches in China and Hong Kong are leading by example to inspire fellow alumni to stay connected with Queen’s.

Branch President in China, Jeff Liu, MPL’92, one of more than 250 alumni in China, studied at Queen’s and worked in Canada for several years before returning home to Beijing. Mr. Liu leads the local alumni network in China, which has been in existence for six years and inspires alumni engagement through a number of activities, including a recent visit by Queen’s Principal Daniel Woolf, Artsci’80. The event was hosted by the Branch at the Canadian Embassy, and welcomed Principal Woolf and over 100 guests including alumni, current students on exchange in China, and students who are enrolled in Queen’s programs based in China. In addition to hearing from Principal Woolf, guests were addressed by Ambassador Guy St-Jacques, Queen’s Provost Alan Harrison, and Branch representative Jay Huang, PhD’92.

During the event, the China Alumni Network presented also presented Principal Woolf with a $55,000 donation to support student mobility between Queen’s and China. The philanthropic efforts of international alumni that reside more than 10,000 km away from campus is a testament of alumni pride. “Our main objective is to continue to build the local profile of Queen’s in China and bridge the cultural gap for exchange students studying in China and abroad,” says Jeff Liu. Alumni pride runs deep in Beijing, which all event attendees were reminded of as one alumna arrived proudly wearing her grandfather’s Queen’s tam.

As an alumnus and a champion of Queen’s international reputation, Principal Woolf has also recently travelled to France, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the US to connect with alumni and engage in conversations about Queen’s Comprehensive International Plan (QUCIP). “As borders and barriers in many parts of the world continue to dissolve, international learning experiences are essential in order for our students to gain globally relevant skills that prepare them for life after graduation,” says Principal Woolf. “Trips like our recent one to Asia help us further develop our strong relationships with universities in China and Hong Kong, which help us provide our students with a more enriching and diverse learning experience. At the same time we connected with our many alumni in the region who are actively building Queen’s reputation in these locations to highlight the value of a Queen’s education to prospective students while also building a strong alumni network.”

Founded in 1970, the Hong Kong alumni branch has been particularly active over the past 20 years in building the local presence of Queen’s University that connects its many alumni. Volunteers that have created unique ways to bring alumni in Hong Kong together through activities such as the Terry Fox Run, pub nights, school fairs and boat trips. The Consul General of Canada in Hong Kong, Ian Burchett, Artsci’82, continues to be a visible Queen’s champion since he arrived in Hong Kong in 2012 (he will complete his term this summer), arranging many alumni events and hosting a number of Queen’s BBQs at his home in Hong Kong.  “Hong Kong has been identified as a priority region for developing academic and research partnerships and for student recruitment,” says, Branch Vice-President Kellogg Ngai, Artsci’97. “We are continuously looking for opportunities to strengthen the reputation of the university, build the Queen’s alumni presence and unite alumni from around the world.”

An event in Hong Kong is never complete without an Oil Thigh and the more than 100 guests at the alumni reception finished the night with a rousing rendition. The event was hosted by Edith Law, Sc’96, at the China Club and the Branch was pleased to welcome Queen’s students on exchange in Hong Kong and introduce them to the alumni network. The night previous, alumni volunteers also supported the Admissions team at a reception at the Canadian Consulate to recruit the Class of 2020 from Hong Kong.

International prominence lies at the core of Queen’s University’s academic mission and our alumni community that spans over 154 countries and includes more than 148,000 alumni. Queen’s is calling on all of its alumni to help connect with fellow alumni living internationally to provide the next generation of Queen’s graduates a home away from home, and to inspire future students of Queen’s by being a proud ambassador for the University.