Your graduation celebration with The University of Manchester
Welcome, Class of 2020, to the celebration of your graduation. While we can’t be on campus to celebrate just yet, we can still celebrate this moment together from afar.
We hope you and your friends and family will join us online to take pride in your achievements, and that this will be the beginning of an exciting and rewarding future.
In this online programme to mark your graduation, you’ll find messages of congratulation, reflections on an unprecedented year and advice for your next steps. You can also download the programme in PDF format (3.5MB).
Read a message of congratulations from our President and Vice-Chancellor
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2020 – wherever you are in the world at this time, during these unprecedented circumstances. This is a time of celebration and I hope you enjoy this special occasion with family and friends.
For those of you graduating this summer, this is also the perfect opportunity to reflect on your time here at Manchester, to think about your successes and accomplishments, and to look forward with excitement to the next stage of your journey.
Although you are not here on campus, as you mark your achievements this week, know the University shares with you a great sense of pride in the award you have worked so hard to attain.
I encourage you to take charge of your future, find your voice and form your own opinions. Have confidence in the knowledge and experience you have gained during your time here and know you are ready to take on your next challenge and shape your own future.
These celebrations mark not the end of your relationship with the University but the start of a new chapter. You are now part of a worldwide network and it is my hope that the links between you and the University will grow stronger as you become an active member of one of the world’s largest global alumni communities.
I wish you every success for the future.
Nancy Rothwell
Watch a short film in celebration of the class of 2020 – a year like no other.
Shape your future
As a new graduate of Manchester, you have opened up the doors to a whole range of opportunities. We’re here to help you take your first steps into life after university. Here are four things you can do now to prepare for your future.
In around 15 months’ time, an agency on our behalf will be contacting you to find out what you have gone on to do after leaving university. You’ll be invited to complete a survey (the Graduate Outcomes Survey) that will help us find out more about what you are doing in the first few months after graduation and inspire future generations of Manchester students.
Welcome to the alumni community
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You're now a part of a community of over 500,000 alumni around the world who also studied at The University of Manchester.
Being a part of this community will bring benefits for the rest of your life, offering opportunities to:
- stay connected to the University;
- meet alumni who can give you career advice;
- access facilities like Library e-resources and the Careers Service.
Subscribe to alumni communications
As a graduate, you’ll receive regular updates on University news, invitations to events online or near you and information on how to access services.
Make sure your contact details are up to date and you’ll be added to our mailing list.
Connect with alumni near you
With more than 500,000 alumni worldwide, you'll never be far from another graduate of The University of Manchester. We have alumni networks in areas around the world so that you can connect with alumni in your home country.
Joining an alumni network allows you to:
- meet alumni living in your area;
- stay in touch with alumni who studied the same subject;
- get advice from graduates who work in an industry you’re interested in;
- socialise at events organised by other alumni;
- become an ambassador for the University by talking to prospective students.
Join a local alumni network
Contact the alumni coordinator for your country to find out more about joining a network in your area.
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Making a difference
Manchester has always been at the heart of change, looking forward and forging new paths – this is instilled in our students and graduates through Stellify.
During your time at Manchester you’ll have embraced many different opportunities, broadened your horizons, examined and challenged real-world issues, led change, and given something to local and global communities.
Each path was unique, but the cumulative impact and influence is far-reaching. We‘re proud that so many of you graduating have taken part in Stellify activities at Manchester, embraced our collective commitment to social responsibility and made a difference.
Here’s a poem from our Chancellor Lemn Sissay to celebrate your Stellify achievements.
Your stories
Take a look at some of the highlights that your fellow graduands have been sharing via social media.