Upcoming events

Enterprise & Entrepreneurs: Inaugural Event, London: 18 June 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 01:24:00 GMT

Meet high-fliers, entrepreneurs and business-minded alumni at this special networking evening – brought to you by SOAS

We hope you will become one of the 200 enterprising alumni to join us in the Brunei Gallery, Monday 18 June, for this unique networking opportunity. The evening will commence with a welcome from SOAS, followed by keynotes from three successful alumni entrepreneurs: Caroline Bennett, Mark Cheng and Bill Keeling, who will each speak on their respective businesses and paths to where they are today.

This will be followed by a networking session, giving you the opportunity to mingle with your fellow guests. Refreshments will be provided.

To RSVP please click here.

Time: 18.30 - 20.30

Date: Monday 18 June 2012

Venue: Brunei Gallery Suite, SOAS, University of London

Alumni Keynotes:

Caroline Bennett (BA Japanese 1991) is a restaurateur and the founder of Moshi Moshi, Britain’s original conveyor-belt sushi bar, which offers delicious and locally sourced Japanese food in the City of London. She is an alumna of SOAS and a champion of sustainable fishing.
Mark Cheng (MSc Financial Economics 1998) is the founder and CEO of Chelwood Capital, a social investment firm that helps social enterprises raise funding. He is also the UK Director of Ashoka, the network of leading social entrepreneurs, which since 1980 has supported more than 3,000 social entrepreneurs in 75 countries.
Bill Keeling is the managing director of Prestat, a 110 year old chocolate company known affectionately as The Queen’s chocolatiers. He is an alumnus of SOAS (MA African Studies 1988) and started his working career in 1989 as the West Africa correspondent of the Financial Times.

This event kick-starts a London based networking group for enterprising SOAS alumni and entrepreneurs. The initiative is being led by two London-based alumni business owners. It is particularly exciting as it is the first ever UK event put together exclusively by SOAS alumni themselves. We are immensely grateful to organisers Neil and Sharon:

Neil Cameron is co-founder and Director of Technology at Cameron & Wilding, a leading Drupal CMS and web development company. He is an alumnus of SOAS (Thai Language 2005) and the Institute for the Study of the Americas (Economics and Politics 2008).
Sharon Rapose is the founder of Balancefilm, a film production company which specialises in commercials, documentary and dramatic films. She is an alumna of SOAS (MSc Development Studies, 2005) and the University of Durham.

SOAS Alumni Gathering in Mumbai: 16 May 2012

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:25:00 GMT

Join fellow alumni and event organiser Alisha Sadikot (MA History of Art & Archaeology 2007) at this SOAS alumni social gathering in Mumbai.

Date: Tuesday 15 May 2012
Time: 8pm
Venue: Bandra Gymkhana

Please click here to RSVP for this event. The event will also be attended by Claire Rowlinson (International Officer, SOAS).

Alumni wine tasting in San Francisco: 19 May 2012

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:27:00 GMT

We are delighted to invite you to our free wine tasting event in San Francisco, hosted by Bharti Kansara, a Director American Friends of SOAS, and Paulo Gomes, SOAS Head of Development & Alumni Relations.

Date: Saturday 19 May 2012
Time: 2pm
Venue: Picchetti Winery, 13100 Montebello Road, Cupertino, CA 95014

The afternoon will commence with a free wine-tasting in the historic Tasting Room of Picchetti Winery and then we will move on to the house of our host, alumna, Dr Bharti Kansara, a mile further up the hill with spectacular views over the whole of Silicon Valley, for drinks, a buffet of delicious Indian canapés and speeches including a talk on climate change from our special guest Dr John Mashey, trustee of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.

Please RSVP here now.

An exclusive alumni reception in New York: 21 May 2012

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:25:00 GMT

Alumni are invited to an exclusive American Friends of SOAS (AFSOAS) reception in New York City. This event will be a celebration and introduction to the recently launched AFSOAS alumni network in the US, founded and directed entirely by American SOAS alumni.

Join host and AFSOAS Director Brooke Beardslee (BA Politics 1988) to meet and mingle with fellow SOAS alumni, over canapés and drinks.

Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm

Date: Monday 21st May 2012

Venue: Home of Brooke Beardslee - 136 East 64th Street, Apt. 4A, NYC 10065

To join us at this special event, please RSVP online, email to alumni@soas.ac.uk, or call +44 (0)20 7898 4041.

SOAS Alumni & Cycle Africa Event in Zambia: 22 May

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:24:00 GMT

SAVE THE DATE for our next SOAS Alumni & Cycle Africa event, this time taking place in Zambia.

The Cycle Africa team, led by SOAS alumnus Craig Pollard (MSc Violence, Conflict & Development 2007), are currently on a bike journey from London to Cape Town, and have already met many SOAS alumni along the way! Cycle Africa is a journey with a purpose, aiming to make a positive difference in the lives of street children in the countries along the route - read more about Cycle Africa at www.soasalumni.org/cycleafrica.

This event will give you the opportunity to meet the team and other SOAS alumni! Please find the event details below:

Date: Tuesday 22 May 2012
Time: TBC (but will be in the evening)
Venue: TBC

To register for this free event, please RSVP online.

SOAS African Development Forum: 29 May 2012

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:18:00 GMT

SOAS alumni are invited to the very first African Development Forum, organised entirely by our postgraduate students. The forum will feature two panel discussions, examining the distinctive ways in which information and communications technology, financial services, agribusiness, and oil and gas are driving growth in Africa. It will also explore some of the wider social and environmental implications of growth.

The African Development Forum 2012 is free to attend. Registration is required.

To RSVP please click here.

Time: 16:00-20.15

Date: Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Venue: Brunei Gallery Lecture Hall, SOAS, University of London

The Forum, supported by the Royal African Society, will generate discussion around the recent growth rates seen in some African countries and the implications of these for broader development. Please see the preliminary programme below, for all updates please review the event website: http://adf.soasunion.org/

Preliminary Programme

Time	Event	Details
15.30	Registration
16.00	Welcome
16.20	Keynote address	Gibril Faal (AFFORD)
16.45	Panel discussion:	Unique sectors driving economic growth in Africa, with: Rolake Akinkugbe (Head Energy Research at Ecobank) Rosalind Kainyah (Vice President, External Affairs & CSR, Tullow Oil) Perez Ochieng (CEO, Sahara Communities Abroad (SACOMA)) Gail Mwamba (Managing Editor, Private Equity Africa) Boko Inyundo (Consultant (ICT))
18.15	Refreshment break
18.30	Panel discussion:	Challenges of economic growth in Africa, with: Professor Stephen Chan, OBE (SOAS, University of London) Dr Camilla Toulmin, (Director, IIED) Ade Ajayi, (Managing Partner, St Marks Capital) Patricia Daley, (University of Oxford) Dr. Matteo Rizzo, (SOAS, University of London)
20.00	Closing remarks	Professor Stephen Chan, OBE (SOAS, University of London)
20.15	Networking event

SOAS Alumni Event: 30 May 2012, Houston Texas

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:42:00 GMT

Kate Barron Alicante, Alumni contact for Oklahoma and neighbouring states, is delighted to invite fellow Alumni to a 'Meet and Mingle' event in Houston, Texas this Spring.

Date: Wed 30 May 2012
Time: 6pm – 8.30pm
Venue: The State Bar & Lounge 909 Texas Avenue, Suite 2A, Houston, Texas, 77002 Map

This will be a great opportunity to reconnect with old classmates and meet like minded alumni in your area, as well as have a great time.

Click here to register by Monday 28 May

'Meet and Mingle' Alumni Event Oklahoma: 09 June

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:41:00 GMT

Kate Barron Alicante, Alumni contact for Oklahoma and neighbouring states, is delighted to invite fellow Alumni to a 'Meet and Mingle' event in Tulsa, Oklahoma this Spring.

Date: Sat 9 June 2012
Time: 5pm – 8.30pm
Venue: Yokozuna Restaurant 309 E. 2nd Street, Tulsa, OK 74120 Map

This will be a great opportunity to reconnect with old classmates and meet like minded alumni in your area, as well as have a great time.

Click here to register by Tuesday 6 June

Study of Religions special event: 22 June 2012

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:33:00 GMT

Alumni of the Department of the Study of Religions at SOAS are invited to a special department event, entitled 'World Religions for Secondary School RE Teachers'.

Taking place at our Russell Square campus this June, this special one-day event will include lectures and interactive discussions by our expert academics, an update on our latest research and debate on world religions, and the opportunity to network with fellow alumni and other RE teachers (a full programme will be available in due course). Please find the event details below:

Date: Friday 22 June 2012

Time: 10.00-16.00

Venue: Room G51, SOAS, Russell Square campus.

Seats are limited, so please RSVP online now to reserve your place. For further information, please contact Dr Peter Flugel on pf8@soas.ac.uk.