IE brings together more than 1,000 graduates from 50 countries in the Global Alumni Weekend in Madrid

The event was attended by Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, president of IE University, as well as the deans of IE Business School, IE Law School, IE School of International Relations, IE School of Human Sciences and Technology and IE School of Architecture and Design. All of them highlighted the institution’s new projects and training proposals, focused on technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity management and balanced by the humanities.

During the Global Alumni Weekend, participants had the opportunity to return to their alma mater and attend master classes in the same classrooms where they studied. Many will have visited new spaces and buildings at the IE Madrid campus; among them state-of-the-art tech initiatives such as WOW Room, IE’s classroom of the future; as well as entrepreneur and innovation hub Area 31. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet IE teaching staff and business executives to strengthen their network.

"We wanted to design an event where our graduates and their families, members of the faculty and the business community could meet to discuss issues such as the challenges of technology, leadership and social innovation," said Julia Sánchez, director of IE Global Alumni Relations.

We wanted to design an event where our graduates and their families, members of the faculty and the business community could meet to discuss issues such as the challenges of technology, leadership and social innovation.

Among the many highlights of the IE Global Alumni Weekend was the 3rd edition of the EPIC Awards (Extraordinary People Inspiring the IE Community), sponsored by Baume & Mercier. The aim of the awards is to inspire the IE community through the success stories of IE graduates around the world.

This year’s EPIC Awards went to:

• Mitra Feldman is a specialist in public health who has spent the past decade fighting malaria through different programs in Africa and Southeast Asia. Mitra Feldman has been awarded in the Human Success category
• Veronica Pascual, CEO at ASTI, one of the most powerful robotics companies in Europe. Since being founded, it has carried out the STEM Talent Girl program, which seeks to educate and inspire girls who work in scientific and technological areas. Verónica Pascual has been awarded in the category of Women Inspiring Women
• Obai Ahmed Albashir has been awarded in the category of Young & Ambitious Minds for his startup on health education, Mizan Health. It’s not the first time he’s received recognition. Forbes magazine distinguished him as one of the principal entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia.
• Arjun Mallik, CEO of the Prudential Uganda insurance company. Prudential is one of the oldest and best-known insurers in the world, offering services to some 24 million clients in the UK, the United States, Asia and Africa and manages over USD 900 billion in assets. Mallik has been awarded in the Business Impact category
• Amuda Goueli, co-founder of Destinia.com, an online travel agency born in 2001, has been awarded in the Creators category

"Once again, the Global Alumni Weekend has provided an opportunity for alumni to return to their alma mater, to their institution to meet classmates, teachers and members of the IE community. They have visited our ever-expanding campus and we have been able to present our new educational projects. We are proud to welcome you: you are our best ambassadors in the world," said Laura Strazzaboschi, Director of Alumni Engagement at IE. "In addition, alumni have participated in keynote sessions on the major issues of business management and have been able to expand their network with executives who lead global organizations," she added.

The Global Alumni Weekend has provided an opportunity for alumni to return to their alma mater, to their institution to meet classmates, teachers and members of the IE community.

IE Alumni promotes a permanent relationship between members of the IE community, facilitating a platform for generating business opportunities, employment and with the objective of promoting the personal and professional development of the students and alumni, in accordance with the principles and values of IE.

About IE

IE offers a technology-based learning ecosystem for leaders making a difference in the world through innovation, global vision, an entrepreneurial mind-set and a unique approach to the Humanities. IE has a faculty composed of more than 500 professors who currently teach courses to students from 131 countries, offering university degrees, master programs, doctoral programs and training for executives. IE's more than 55,000 strong alumni platform is present in 165 countries.