Global Gatherings
Bring the Bristol spirit to your city, wherever you are in the world.
This November, University of Bristol alumni will come together for a week of Global Gatherings, our event series hosted by alumni, for alumni, in cities all over the world. Whether you’re looking to forge new friendships or expand your professional networks, Global Gatherings can connect you to your global Bristol community and like-minded alumni in your home city.
What is a Global Gathering?
During our season of Global Gatherings, alumni will come together to celebrate our global Bristol community, make new friends and strengthen their Bristol connection.
We are looking for alumni volunteers who can organise a gathering in their area. These informal gatherings can be anything you want them to be – running a great event doesn’t need to be complicated. You could meet up in a bar, share a meal, take a guided tour – it’s entirely up to you.
Alumni hosts will be supported by the Alumni Engagement team who can offer advice, help publicise your event to alumni, and manage event registrations.
How it works
Pick a date and venue. Most of our Global Gatherings will run from 1 to 30 November 2025. You decide when and where to host your gathering. You can apply for a grant of up to £400 or select a location or activity that doesn’t have a booking fee and where attendees cover their costs.
Enlist the help of a friend. Partner up and make it a collaborative affair. If you don’t know any alumni in your area, the Alumni Engagement team may be able to put you in touch.
Tell us about your plans. Complete our Global Gathering host form or contact the Alumni Engagement team to talk through your plans. We can support you with planning, managing event registrations, and arranging email invitations to alumni and students.
Spread the word. Help to spread the word on your socials and through your peers and contacts.
Volunteer to organise a Global Gathering
Any questions?
Find answers to some frequently asked questions below or contact the Alumni Engagement team at alumni-volunteers@bristol.ac.uk.
FAQs
Hosting a Global Gathering is simple. You will need to decide on the format, book the venue or activity, and coordinate plans on the day. What you do is entirely up to you and what you think your fellow alumni might enjoy.
You will be supported by the Alumni Engagement team who can offer advice, help publicise your gathering to alumni, and manage registrations.
By organising your own event, you are fully responsible for ensuring that it does not pose any risk to others. The University of Bristol’s public liability insurance does not extend to alumni volunteers who are organising their own events, including those which sit under our Global Gatherings programme.
After your gathering, please share with us the list of alumni who attended and any photographs from the day!
The University of Bristol is committed to helping alumni form strong and supportive communities. We are offering grants of £100 to £400 to help bring your gathering to life.
Let us know if you would like to apply for a grant on our Global Gathering host form. To allow time for grants to be paid, applications for funding must be received before 31 August 2025.
Global Gatherings are the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded University of Bristol graduates wherever you are in the world. While attendees are welcome to bring a plus-one, gatherings should primarily be for Bristol alumni.
Spreading the workload with one or more co-hosts is a good way to make connections. If you’re not in touch with other alumni, we may be able to link you up with other potential hosts in your area.
Let us know if you can offer a venue, help spread the word, or offer a hand on the day. All alumni are welcome to get involved, no matter how much time you have.
Or you can simply join your local gathering as a guest! Global Gatherings will be listed on our website, and we will email all alumni in the area. Make sure that you receive your invite by completing our alumni update form.