AlumniEI World Map: A Platform for Lifelong Connections

Abstract

Alumni networks are organized groups or associations that connect alumni (former students) of an educational institution. These networks are designed to encourage relationships between alumni and their alma mater, as well as among alumni themselves. They often serve as a platform for professional networking, mentorship, social interactions, and maintaining a sense of community. This report explores the features and limitations of an already-existing alumni platform. The application displays clusters of FEUP alumni on a world map and allows users to filter the former students by their graduation year and degree. The project aims to introduce solutions to current limitations, such as displaying additional available data, a temporal visualization system, and authenticated user features. Each user is now displayed with their job title and respective company. A timeline was implemented, allowing users to visualize the alumni locations and job titles on the map across different years, and a review system was created, allowing authenticated users to share their thoughts and experiences regarding a company or location they have worked at. Additionally, the implementations are further supported by the analyzed existing literature and analogous platforms, as well as the conducted validations. Finally, the findings emphasize alumni platforms' role in facilitating engagement, promoting connections with institutions, contributing to professional opportunities, and helping broader regional development.