The lessons that last and last

According to Albert Einstein: "Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." Education extends well beyond textbooks and for many its importance lies in what has helped create the character and personality of a student. Whether it is a sense of sharing and caring, a ruthless drive for competition or an indomitable spirit, the essence of education lies in what has been instilled.

In Shanghai many graduates from leading foreign universities continue the legacies of their education in local branches of their universities' alumni clubs and these have been growing steadily over the years.

Serving as a platform for members to meet and network, these alumni clubs offer former students communities where they can rekindle friendships, broaden social circles, share individual stories and restore a sense of belonging, through activities in and around the city.

"It's easy to lose the ties with your old school after you leave, but I think the ultimate purpose of having an alumni group is to keep the university spirit alive and to recreate an environment where all graduates can actually thrive in each other's company," James Morris, the president of the Shanghai Oxford and Cambridge Society, told the Global Times. "We obviously network and potentially forge positive professional relationships, but an environment where we can learn what other people have done and how they have addressed their challenges is incredibly educational."

The old boy network

As Chinese students flock overseas to further their studies, the trend has also been fostering increasingly large bases for foreign university alumni clubs in China. According to Edward Smith, the founder and steering committee member of the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) - the largest of its kind in China - the organization is currently in touch in China with more than 6,000 members who have studied at Australian universities.

"There are about 60,000 Chinese students at universities in Australia right now and we think there are probably around 100,000 alumni from Australian universities across China. More and more alumni will come back here," Smith said. He said that the ACAA is partners with 27 of the 40 universities in Australia and aims to develop links with all of them.

While Chinese graduates account for the majority of members, there are also foreigners living and working here who have sought out old boy networks. The Shanghai Oxbridge Club's Morris said that about one-third of its 500 members here are expats.

While regular meetings bind the members, helping them establish business contacts and expand social circles, it is also common for clubs to invite prominent academics from their alma maters to lecture on recent developments in their fields.

Morris said that one of the highlights of his presidential term was to have arranged for Oxford's chancellor, Lord Patten of Barnes, and the vice chancellor of Cambridge, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, to come to Shanghai and speak to club members. He said to organize this he began by writing to the heads of the alumni networks of both universities after he had seen how proactive American universities had been. Fortunately his proposals were taken seriously and the two universities have since been assisting with alumni work.

"America has a culture that their universities are like families. They've done pretty well in fostering close relationships with students while they are at university and even after they leave. Students feel they are still valued by the university and always think fondly about it," Morris said. He said many British universities have been following the steps of their American counterparts in attracting funding and forming ties with former students.

Apart from professional links, alumni clubs create a laid-back atmosphere where members can chat and enjoy banter and jokes with meals and drinks. Some clubs organize excursions, hikes, picnics and sports. "In the past four years many of our members have found their partners via our events. Many have transformed from being single members to becoming married with babies," Smith from the ACAA said.