Kishore M Shah
Goa needs an AI-driven, industry-linked alumni ecosystem to create informed, job-ready graduates. In most educational institutions across the state alumni engagements still function at a basic or survival level. Despite IQAC provisions and periodic reports, it remains more of a compliance task than
a strategic strength.
If Goa’s higher education ecosystem aspires to move from compliance to excellence, the alumni role must evolve into a structured, data-driven, and AI-enabled partnership model. Goan youth today need job creation and job readiness. Students are not just seeking degrees- they are seeking options and pathways that help them make informed career choices.
Institutions must enable every student to choose intelligently and then prepare them for what they choose. However, most choices still remain traditional and aspirational rather than evidence-based or aligned with real opportunities. This gap leads to misplaced expectations, weak outcomes at campus interviews, and limited employability.
Career fairs too often produce low conversion results, largely because they are event-based and not supported by sustained industry alignment. Similarly, internships that meant to be crucial stepping stones are frequently mismatched or superficial. Faculty members, burdened by non–value-added administrative work, have little time for mentoring or
industry collaboration.
On the other side, industries also remain distant from campuses, engaging only for guest lecture events or symbolic partnerships. The integration of industry associations with academia in Goa is still at a very nascent stage. What exists is a series of well-intentioned but fragmented efforts.
Here is where alumni can make a catalytic difference. Many Goan graduates hold key positions in diverse sectors such as corporate, entrepreneurial, social, and global. They can guide institutions in designing realistic job pathways, meaningful internships, and relevant skilling programs.
To enable this, colleges must first build robust, verified alumni databases with proper data collection, validation, and segmentation. Once the foundation is strong, AI tools can analyse and manage this data to identify where and how each alumnus can contribute- based on their graduation year, industry, and experience. AI-driven contact algorithms can help locate the right alumni for mentorship, placements, or collaborative projects.
A 1995 graduate leading a company could offer strategic inputs, while a 2018 graduate in a start-up could bring agility and new perspectives. This creates a resonating fitment between alumni experience and institutional needs.
Beyond data, the model must respect emotional connection. Every alumnus has an umbilical link to teachers, friends, or the campus itself. Engagement should be relational, not transactional. Alumni should not be viewed merely as sources of funds or favours; rather, the model should help them connect among themselves for personal, social, and professional growth.
Colleges, meanwhile, can use such systems to trace and invite the right alumni for events instead of scouting only for external chief guests. A dedicated digital alumni newsletter can celebrate achievements and foster pride. Goa’s diaspora abroad can also be tapped for global exposure and collaborative opportunities.
In conclusion, alumni engagement in Goa still revolves around WhatsApp groups and small clusters. It’s time to create a state-of-the-art, AI-enabled alumni ecosystem that is jointly developed by the education department, IT department, and colleges.
The directorate of planning, statistics & evaluation, can provide vital analytical depth. With active support from industry and management associations, Goa can build a model where alumni become true partners in shaping job-ready, informed, and empowered graduates—turning aspiration into achievement.
If implemented with focus and collaboration the alumni potential can be transformed into a genuine employment and innovation multiplier.
Alumni associations can be made useful by: Data: Each institution should begin a structured alumni data audit, followed by verification and digital integration under a unified state framework.
AI & Analytics: An AI-powered alumni platform that allows data analysis, automated matching, and engagement tracking.
Industry linkage: Industry associations should nominate liaison officers to coordinate internships, projects, and placements through alumni channels.
Capacity building: Faculty champions for alumni relations should be trained in data management, networking, and career mentoring.
Continuous engagement: Launch a digital newsletter, periodic virtual meets, and sector-based alumni clusters to keep connections vibrant.
The writer is the managing trustee of GDP School for Social Entrepreneurship, Skills & Applied Social Research
