SOAS is proud to launch the UN Alumni Network, a new initiative connecting alumni currently or formerly working within the United Nations system. The network is a vibrant platform for global collaboration, knowledge exchange, and professional support. It aims to foster lasting relationships among SOAS graduates across humanitarian, development, and policy sectors while, inspiring the next generation of global changemakers.

Are you a SOAS alum with UN experience? Join the conversation, share your insights, and connect with fellow alumni by becoming part of the dedicated LinkedIn group today.

Join the UN Alumni Network on LinkedIn

This launch marks the beginning of a broader initiative by the SOAS Alumni team to streamline professional networking across a range of sectors. As we expand, we're inviting alumni to help shape the future of these networks. A focus group is being formed to gather insights on which sector - such as finance, academia, entrepreneurship, or international development - would benefit most from tailored alumni communities.

Attend the focus group on Wednesday 18 June 2025 at 12 noon to share which sectors you'd most like to see represented.

Unable to attend? Email Laura Dowling, Alumni Engagement Officer - ld35@soas.ac.uk – to share your insights.

QS World University Rankings compare the performance of around 15,000 university programmes at 1,500 universities and name the world’s best universities for the study of 54 disciplines.

In 2024, 11 of SOAS’s subjects featured in the top 100 with Development Studies coming 3rd globally. The rankings are calculated by a variety of methods, but included are insights from current students, academics and feedback from alumni and employers.

As a smaller university – and as alumni, you’ll know that is one of SOAS’s charms – it can be difficult for us to generate a lot of feedback, which is why we’re asking you if you would be willing to get involved in the process for 2026.

QS Rankings require your consent to contact you for your feedback as an alumni employer or as an academic. If you would be willing to give feedback on SOAS, please follow the relevant link below.

2026 Alumni Employer Nomination

2026 Alumni Academic Consent

2026 Alumni Employer Consent

Please consider adding your feedback to next year’s rankings, which can affect the reputation and standing of SOAS across the world.

For further details on QS World University Rankings, visit their website

As mentioned in the SOAS World feature on Sudan, SOAS President Zeinab Badawi has launched Humanitarian Action for Sudan (HAS), an initiative created to address the crisis in Sudan and improve humanitarian support within the country.

Established and coordinated by Zeinab and other like-minded individuals, mostly from the Sudanese diaspora, HAS is already providing a vital lifeline for desperate Sudanese and demonstrates a new way forward for humanitarian assistance.

SOAS will host a series of HAS events to provide an open forum for key experts to share knowledge, research and improve aid delivery. On-the-ground efforts include direct distribution of funds to affected Sudanese communities and delivering resources to emergency kitchens.

HAS provides weekly updates on developments in the country, in both English and Arabic, alongside collating relevant documents on how resources can be delivered effectively.

Four SOAS alumni have been recognised by the British Council in the Study UK Alumni Awards 2025, which honour UK-educated global leaders who make significant contributions to their communities, industries, and countries.

Raju Kendre (MSc Development Studies 2022): Social Action Award

This award recognises his work as founder and CEO of the Eklavya India Foundation, which empowers first-generation university students from historically marginalised communities in India.

Sadiye Isisal (MSc Development Economics 2020): Social Action Award

This award recognises her efforts in bringing divided Cypriot communities together for peace and progress. 

Elif Bereketli (MA Cultural Studies 2015): Culture and Creativity Award

Istanbul-based Elif presents the monthly documentary series ‘Compass’ for TRT World and is the founder and former editor-in-chief of SabitFikir, a contemporary literature magazine dedicated to making cultural criticism accessible

Layla Al-Kloub (MSc Politics of the Middle East 2023): Culture and Creativity Award

This award recognises her contribution to global media and digital storytelling in her career at Jordanian channel Almamlaka TV and as a senior online journalist at BBC News Arabic.

Tahmina Ghaffar (BA History of Art 2012) an expert in Islamic and Indian art and Head of Department at Chiswick Auctions has made her debut on popular BBC series Antiques Road Trip.

Appearing in five episodes of the current series (available on BBC iPlayer), Tahmina took on programme veteran David Harper travelling across the country picking up interesting objects and artefacts before auctioning them for BBC Children in Need.

Filming has already begun for the next series, and we look forward to seeing our SOAS alumna again in the future.

SOAS Library opened in 1972, holding 500,000 volumes and serving a student body of around 700. In the five decades since, the student population has blossomed to nearly 6,000 and now houses over 1.3 million volumes in over 3,000 languages.

One of the UK’s five National Research Libraries, it is a cornerstone of life at SOAS and provides unique resources to researchers from around the world.

In April, we launched an appeal to over 12,000 global alumni so that we can continue to preserve and provide these valuable resources to staff, students and visitors alike. We shared Innocent Kasiyano’s story, a PhD candidate in International Studies, Political Science and Government.

Innocent’s work on youth political participation in Zimbabwe is focused on policy and imagines possibilities and opportunities for Zimbabwean youth. The Library’s extensive collections on African politics have made his research possible.

In just one month, SOAS alumni like you donated over £19,400, which will help to provide world-class resources to the academic community, and an enriching education for our students. We are so grateful to everyone who made a gift in support of the Library. Thank you.