Friends of UCL Computer Science

What is Friends of UCL Computer Science?

Friends of UCL Computer Science is our partnership programme that fosters positive transformation in computer science and for society at large. Our friends are our key supporters among industry partners, alumni, academia, and our students, all of whom have the opportunity to create meaningful connections in their respective fields of interest.

We focus on student and alumni development, co-research, and co-innovation to tackle real-world challenges. 

Why you should get involved

Being a Friend of UCL CS offers you and your organisation the opportunity to:

Build Valuable Connections: Connect with fellow alumni, industry professionals, and academics to enhance your career journey.

Spark Innovation: Share your ideas for student projects, creating innovative solutions that benefit your industry and society.

Mentor the Next Generation: Use your expertise and connections to support early-career talent.

Forge New Ventures: Collaborate on developing new products or services, tapping into UCL's expertise.

Be Part of a Thriving Community: Stay engaged with a dynamic, world-leading Computer Science community full of energy and potential.

How you can get involved

Connect

Reach out to us via email or social media and have a virtual meeting with our dedicated team.

Sign up to our newsletter.

Attend exclusive Friends of CS events including tech talks and an annual dinner.

Collaborate

Offer student projects via our sector leading UCL Industry Exchange Network programme ( UCL IXN).

Build your talent and innovation pipeline, whether you run a start-up or manage a team in your company.

See if your company would like to participate in a hackathon.

Community

Become a student mentor and give informal careers advice to our talented students.

Promote a job opportunity in your company.

Volunteer to serve on our Friends of CS Committee.

Donate, including sponsoring a scholarship or student prize.

How you can join

Forging strong, engaging relations with industry is integral to both the learning experience of our students and the success of the department as a whole. 

SAT can provide you with information about joining Friends of UCL Computer Science, forming new partnerships, and helping to advance cutting-edge research.

Get in touch

Benefits for our Friends

Bronze (free)

1. Unlimited Undergraduate or Graduate student projects with IP given to company via UCL IXN ( subject to academic approval)
2. Project abstracts are publicised on IXN student showcase materials.

Standalone: sponsoring a dedicated student engagement event to meet with our talented students (costs depend on scale, discuss with the Strategic Alliance Team)

Silver

1. All 'Bronze' benefits
2. Sponsorship of a student engagement event, including catering for up to 50 attendees
3. Careers Service Recruiters' Club membership
4. Recognition through case study and logo on our departmental website
5. Promotion of up to 2 job posts per year to our student/alumni network
6. Invite to student projects showcase
7. Dedicated account manager from our Strategic Alliances Team (SAT)

Gold

1. All 'Silver' benefits
2. Half-day executive education, including catering for up to 20 attendees
3. "Recruiter in residence" - hold your interviews on campus in one of our meeting rooms.
4. Complimentary exclusive Annual dinner with our Head of Department

Platinum

1. All "Gold" benefits
2. Full-day executive education, including catering for up to 30 attendees (replacing the half-day session in the Gold package)
3. Invitation to network with our PhD students
4. Sponsorship and participation in multi-disciplinary hackathons.
5. Dedicated career support to run reverse mentoring programmes
6. A place for you or a senior executive on our new Friends of CS Steering Committee

The Friends of UCL CS committee 

The Friends of UCL CS committee serves as the steering body responsible for overseeing the partnership programme and implementing initiatives to enhance its effectiveness. 

The committee comprises individuals from diverse backgrounds, including academia, alumni, industry professionals and people involved in strategic partnerships. 

Benefits for Alumni serving on the committee include:

• A place for you on our new Friends of CS Steering Committee
• Complimentary annual industry networking dinner with Head of Department
• 10% discount on Silver, Gold and Platinum memberships rates to the companies the Alumni work for.
• Dedicated account manager from our Strategic Alliances Team (SAT)
• Unlimited Undergraduate or Graduate student projects ( subject to academic approval)
• Invite to student project showcase

Friends of UCL Computer Science