Reunion event draws hundreds of graduates back to Teesside

Hundreds of Teesside University alumni and friends have come together as part of a week of activities allowing them to reconnect with each other and the University.

This year held at the University’s campus in Middlesbrough and at the headquarters of corporate supporter, Framestore in London, Teesside Re:Freshed is a new annual initiative giving graduates the opportunity to engage with and hear more about what's happening at Teesside.

Teesside University alumni number more than 140,000 people in over 100 countries and Teesside Re:Freshed provided an occasion for former students to reconnect as old friends, but also make new acquaintances through networking and collaboration events.

The week-long programme offered graduates and friends of the University the chance to hear from leaders in their field as well as have exposure to outstanding graduate talent.

Highlights of the week included a talk by Teesside University honorary graduate and leading film director and producer Franc Roddam about his life and career working on productions including the cult film Quadrophenia, comedy classic Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and television phenomenon MasterChef.

Acclaimed author and honorary graduate Richard Milward also gave a 'Beyond the Book' talk about the inspiration and method behind his work.

For the University's London network, leading figures from the world of animation and visual effects joined graduate keynote speaker Xin Zhao in attending the ExpoTees London showcase of graduate talent from the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies. A Business Networking Breakfast with a keynote speech by Teesside graduate, Owain Brennan, CEO of business intelligence company SeerBI, also provided a forum for alumni to come together, make new contacts and discover new avenues for business collaboration with the University.

Further collaboration opportunities were on offer at the Middlesbrough Games Dev Meetup which organised a special event as part of the alumni weekend to connect and give support to early years graduates working in the games industry. Rachael Barker, Head of Alumni Engagement and Stakeholder Development at Teesside University, said: "One of the key benefits of being a Teesside graduate is the opportunity to tap into a diverse range of events and opportunities, many of which are delivered in partnership with our very own talented alumni.

"Teesside's global network of former students sees amazing people doing inspirational things the world over. We're thrilled to introduce a new initiative bringing our network together and we’re delighted to see the first Teesside Re:Freshed get off to such a fantastic start. "This will be an annual event and we already have ambitions to expand and grow it even further next year, with more online content, international activity and opportunities for reunion and engagement at all of our campuses.

"We look forward to welcoming everybody back next year."

More details about Teesside University’s alumni community and how to reconnect if you’re a former student is available online

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