Mehrnoosh (Noosh) Rayner (she/her), Head of Alumni Relations at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), has served as a member of the CASE Council for Europe since 2021 and headed up the Faculty for the 2023 Alumni Relations Institute, which took place in Birmingham in February.
Can you give a bit of background to your career journey to date?
My education and career journey can be divided largely between the University of Edinburgh and the EMBL, with some exciting career and training opportunities in between.
I had originally planned for a career in business and studied a MA in German with Persian and Economics as secondary subjects at the University of Edinburgh for this reason. My path changed when I accepted a position at Edinburgh as a Research Assistant where I was tasked with setting up a film course for postgraduates. In addition to the course, I helped to successfully develop a media centre and two books before completing my PhD in New German Cinema.
After my PhD I moved to Heidelberg, Germany, to commence work at the EMBL, which is an intergovernmental life science institute located across six sites in Europe and supported by more than 27 countries, including the UK. I’ve worked at EMBL for 19 years where I have developed and grown the Alumni Relations programme to play a central, strategic role in the delivery of EMBL’s mission.
You’ve been involved with CASE since 2009, what have been some of your favourite volunteering roles and why?
Over the years, I have engaged and collaborated with CASE on many initiatives that support educational organisations in continental Europe, but I’d have to say that my favourite role has been the opportunity to be a faculty member (and this year’s Chair) of the Alumni Relations Institute (ARI).
This institute is specifically targeted at those new to the sector. The content really focuses on the fundamentals of alumni relations, from small operational steps to the big picture, which makes you evaluate your own programme in turn. It’s a fabulous education opportunity, providing time out to engage away from your day-to-day, not to mention the inspiration you get from the other faculty members, as well as the bright and creative participants.
What motivated you to join the CASE Council for Europe?
CASE has supported me in my career journey in Advancement, so it was a privilege to be asked to become a member. I was motivated to join the CASE Europe Council in order to give back and take my career journey to the next level.
What are your duties as a Council member and how does this commitment complement your day-to-day role?
The Council serves as a first point of contact for CASE to present and discuss its strategy, priorities, and challenges ahead. Before the biannual meetings, Council members are expected to understand the CASE strategy and put time aside to familiarise themselves with assets such as the CASE website, recent communications, and new offerings, to constructively feed into discussion points. As the Council represents the wider CASE community, it’s important that I listen to my colleagues and others in the sector to present their feedback, criticism and solutions, as well as suggestions for new opportunities and initiatives for CASE to consider.
Working with the CASE Council has given me the time and the inspiration to look at the Alumni Relations programme at EMBL with more distance, ambition, and bold creativity. I’ve gained great insights into CASE’s services and all their efforts to ensure excellence and great outcomes in Advancement! It’s a process that gives a bird’s eye perspective of your programme, making you think about where this sits (or should sit) in your organisation, and how it should work with other departments for the greater good.
What do you enjoy most about this volunteer position?
I’ve particularly enjoyed learning how CASE manages its volunteer organisation, and exploring how I can contribute to its offerings and priorities, which means expanding my networks and thinking more broadly. Ultimately, this position offers an excellent opportunity to engage with and learn from CASE leadership and colleagues on the CASE Council, with the shared aim of supporting Advancement globally.
Opportunity to join the CASE Council for Europe
The CASE Council for Europe are currently seeking to recruit new members. The Council aims to represent the breadth of CASE member institutions and bring together perspectives from diverse lived experiences.
If you have a strategic outlook and are committed to CASE's mission, we'd love to hear from you. We would especially welcome interest from candidates with specific experience or personal characteristics to fill gaps in representation among ongoing Council members, as listed on the website.
Please share your interest via our online form by Monday 6 March.