Connecting with our alumni in the USA

Last month, we visited the USA, strengthening ties with our global graduate community.??

Kicking off in New York City on Saturday 6 April, colleagues, alumni and friends of 英国赫瑞瓦特大学 proudly joined together to march in the Tartan Day Parade. It was a lively celebration of Scottish heritage, innovation and instilled a sense of belonging to Heriot-Watt.??

In New York, we were also delighted to host an alumni reception at The Yale Club of New York City on Monday 8 April. Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Andrew Williams , and Rita Pasi welcomed our local alumni to the event and Professor Dawn Maskell and Professor Nik Willoughby shared our plans for the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD), emphasising our commitment to sustainable brewing. Alumni co-host Stephanie Brown, BSc, MBA introduced fellow alumni iain A Stirling and Alexander Forsyth , who treated guests to a tasting of Arbikie Highland Estate produce.?

On 12 April, we headed to Houston for our second alumni reception at Saint Arnold Brewing Company . Local alumni enjoyed an engaging evening discussing university news and connected with fellow graduates and University leaders. Guests learned about the exciting developments at the ICBD and alumni co-host Andrew Buchan introduced Saint Arnold Brewing Company, who provided a special tasting from their brewery.?

Paul Stephenson , Head of Development and Alumni, said:?

?“These gatherings were fantastic opportunities to meet our alumni and for them to learn about the University's initiatives and celebrate our efforts towards sustainability. I am extremely proud of our Development and Alumni team who have been busy hosting other events worldwide this year in Norway, Dubai, UK, Malaysia and India. We are excited for the year ahead and look forward to engaging with more alumni globally.”

Another highlight of the trip was the?signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 11 April between the University of Houston and Heriot-Watt University . This agreement underscores a commitment to work together on cutting-edge research. With a focus on clean energy, the joint agreement aims to address pressing societal challenges with the climate emergency at the forefront.??

Special thanks to our incredible hosts and speakers, and to our alumni and staff at Heriot-Watt for a highly engaging trip.

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