Across the world...
Symposia & Events
Connecting and having fun together is at the core of our mission!
Every year alums all over the world host scores of events, from local gatherings for a bite to eat, to cooking classes, virtual Milk and Cookies, Lunar New Year events, Mountain Day hikes and bike tours, and more. All events are open to students and any visiting alums, and guests from the College are always welcome as well.
Stay in touch and virtually connect with us via our Instagram account and do reach out if you wish to join future events or organize one!
Next Symposium:
Autumn 2026, Edinburgh, UK
Alum Symposia
Our headline events, however, are our alum symposia, hosted and organized by alums for alums. The first alum symposium was organized in London in 1987, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the College.
Since then, the European Alum Council has organized 17 in-person events in different countries, and a virtual one, each attracting alums, students and guests from all over the world.
In Asia, the first symposium was organized in 2014 in Hong Kong, followed by gatherings in Singapore and India.
There are few things more joyful than spending the weekend with fellow alums listening to inspiring speakers in exciting destinations!
Previous Symposia in Europe...
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1987 London – Mount Holyoke 150 Years
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1990 Salzburg - Meet Mount Holyoke In Salzburg
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1993 Rome - Incontro Romano
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1995 Paris - A Moveable Feast
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1997 Amsterdam - The Challenge of Tradition
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1999 Munich - A New Millennium - A New Europe?
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2002 Sevilla - Language and Communication in the Third Millennium
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2004 Dublin - Come Dance with us in Ireland
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2007 Geneva - Switzerland: Innovation Emerging through Tradition
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2009 Oxford - Brain Power - Build It, Use It, Keep It
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2011 Turin - The Paradox of Plenty: Redefining the Dolce Vita
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2013 Warsaw - At the Crossroad: Quo Vadis
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2015 Leuven - Power and Purpose: Europe in a Changing World
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2017 Riga - The Story of Latvia’s Strength - How Culture Saved a Nation
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2019 Athens/ Fougaro - Changing Minds and Lives
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2021 (Virtual Symposium) - Turkey: Perception and Reality
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2022 The Hague - Building a More Just Society
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2024 Munich The Arts and Socio-political Change: A powerful Interplay at the Heart of Democracy
Previous Symposia in Asia...
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2014 November - Hong Kong “Women and Entrepreneurship: Staying Relevant in a Changing World”
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2016 November – Singapore - “Innovation in Asia”
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2019 January - Jaipur - "India at Crossroads: Past, Present and Future
Other Events
There are always events happening! They may range from dinner and drinks, to cultural activities and visits, to cookery classes and workshops, to lectures by MHC alums and professors, and more.
Country Heads are generally the main organizers, but anyone and everyone is welcome to host events.
We also have annual events, such as Mountain Day Meet-ups in the autumn, Lunar New Year events in the winter, and Laurel Chain Lunches in the spring. We have two weekly virtual events as well, that run year-round.
All our events are announced ahead of time on Facebook, and subscribing to our quarterly newsletter is a great place to stay up to date as well.
Lastly, you can follow our Instagram to see what events have been happening!
