ANU is building a stronger alumni community in China, creating a growing network of graduates, employers and industry leaders to connect recent alumni with the people, opportunities and support they need to thrive in their careers.
On 29 August, more than 100 alumni, recent graduates, employers and industry leaders came together in Shanghai for ANU China Homecoming 2026: Careers and Connections, marking a major step in growing this connected professional community.
Joining the alumni in Shanghai, Brooke Disney, Vice-President (Advancement), and Associate Professor Laurence Brown, CBE Associate Dean, welcomed alumni and connected with graduates, employers and industry representatives throughout the program.
Brooke encouraged alumni to see graduation not as the end of their relationship with ANU, but as the beginning of a new chapter.
“You may have left Canberra, but you haven’t left ANU,” Brooke said. “We want ANU to remain part of your life - not just as the place where you once studied, but as a community you can turn to throughout your career and, I hope, throughout your life.”
Alumni gained insights into China’s graduate employment landscape from industry and recruitment professionals, including Lockin U. They also took part in speed career consultations, where established professionals shared practical advice and experience with those earlier in their careers.
“With such a dynamic labour market in China, it was so important for our new graduates to get access to the latest employment data and to network with established alumni and employers from leading sectors,” Laurence said.
“For some of you, a conversation today might lead directly to an opportunity,” Brooke said.
“For others, it might simply be a piece of advice, an introduction or a connection that becomes important years from now.”
Laurence said the event highlighted the diversity of talent and industries represented, connecting new graduates with alumni and employers across sectors including tech, finance, business services, higher education, advanced manufacturing, marketing and HR.
Together, these connections create a professional network that can grow with graduates throughout their careers. The program brought together academic leadership, alumni and industry – highlighting the University’s focus on keeping graduates connected to the University while helping them build their professional networks in the markets where they live and work.
This included the ANU China Liaison Office, Global Alumni Volunteers, and participating employers, recruiters and industry representatives. Their generosity, expertise and local connections helped bring the Homecoming to life.
The event also showcased the growing role of alumni as ambassadors, mentors and connectors for the next generation of graduates. Twenty-eight Global Alumni Volunteers helped bring the program to life, sharing their local knowledge and professional networks with fellow alumni.
China is home to the largest ANU alumni community outside Australia, forming part of a global network of over 150,000 alumni across more than 160 countries.
From recent graduates embarking on their first professional opportunities to established alumni opening doors for those following them, ANU China Homecoming 2026 demonstrated the value of an alumni network that extends well beyond Canberra – connecting ANU graduates to opportunities and one another wherever their careers take them.
