On November 9th, our department proudly hosted its first alumni reunion, bringing together faculty members with over 100 alumni of the Department of Economics with graduates from 1962 to 2023. The evening was an opportunity to connect and rediscover a shared history of rigorous, relevant, and innovative economics. This milestone occurred amongst the backdrop of central Westminster at the historic Institution for Civil Engineers.
The evening was co-hosted by Oxford University’s Business Economics Programme (OUBEP) which is facilitated by the Department of Economics and delivers economic teaching to business leaders. Both the department and OUBEP have alumni working in academia, business, policy and beyond and the evening allowed attendees to recognise the combined strength of our network both within and outside the university.
We were delighted to host Professor Beata Javorcik, Statutory Professor Department of Economics and Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, who provided insight on the intersection of academia and real-world economic challenges. Her keynote talk was titled, ‘Globalisation in Turbulent Times’ and delved into the international trading of minerals needed in constructing green technologies, how the fragmentation caused by trade restrictions affects economic relationships and citizen welfare, and what all this may mean for the future role of the US Dollar.
Alumni also received a brochure to detail the ways in which we hope that they will continue to engage with us over the upcoming months. The brochure extended warm invitations for alumni to join us at upcoming events, especially the 2024 Diversity Day and the Department’s 25th anniversary celebration planned for June 20th. A specific invitation for alumni to contribute their wealth of knowledge and experiences in the form of mentoring our current students was also extended, and we are excited to run our first mentorship event in March.
As the evening concluded with drinks and canapés, we celebrated coming together as a community passionate about understanding the global economy and fostering positive change. We would like to thank all alumni and faculty who attended the evening and look forward to seeing them at an event soon!
Access a gallery of images from the event here.
