The IDRC Alumni provides opportunities for former IDRC employees to maintain personal and professional links, and supports continuing dialogue on development issues.
History
The IDRC Alumni Association was formed in 2003 by a small group of first-generation IDRC staff. This small group initially gathered to remember the visionary thinking and people who came together to give purpose and body to IDRC. Following the direction of the Centre’s first President, David Hopper, many former staff felt privileged to have been part of shaping the organization and contributing to fulfill IDRC’s unique mandate and goals.
Objectives
The IDRC Alumni Association provides a space for former IDRC employees:
- To maintain both personal and professional links with each other and with IDRC and its work
- To renew acquaintances and to networking and connect researchers and problem solvers
- To share past experiences, highlights, and achievements
- To reflect on how the “the younger generation” is dealing with the challenges of funding research for international development
- To benefit from mutual learning on current issues
- To act as ambassadors of IDRC’s work
Activities
Alumni news is regularly shared with all members through an email list. The Association also maintains an active website and a vibrant Facebook page.
Each year, the Alumni Association hosts an Annual General Meeting. These meetings, held at IDRC headquarters and virtually, typically include the participation of IDRC’s President, who provides an update on the Centre’s priorities and activities, as well as a Regional Director, who provides regional reflections. Other senior managers and IDRC employees who have worked for IDRC for 20 years or more, but who are not yet members of the Alumni, are also invited to participate.
The Alumni also provides modest support for young researchers through the Rachel DesRosiers Alumni Award. The Association also oversees The David and Ruth Hopper and Ramesh and Pilar Bhatia Canada Fund. More information is available on the Alumni’s website.
On occasion, the Alumni also connects with current IDRC programming. In May 2021, for example, the Alumni organized a learning event entitled “Education Research Then and Now.” This event brought together former and current education specialists from IDRC to discuss priorities in education research and how they have changed over time.