We're pleased to share with you this final "summer replay" episode of Alumless World with you. Stay tuned for a new episode of Alumless this Friday!
Not all universities are built on centuries of alumni tradition. In this episode, Ryan and Nicole sit down with Cheng Feng, Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Duke Kunshan University (DKU), to explore what it takes to build an advancement program from the ground up at one of China’s most innovative higher education partnerships. Cheng shares the origin story of DKU, a collaboration between Duke University, Wuhan University and the city of Kunshan, and reflects on what it means to operate in start-up mode.
The conversation explores the complexities of governance, the challenges of engaging a young alumni base and how DKU has built affinity and philanthropic support without long-standing traditions. Cheng also discusses how DKU serves as a kind of innovation lab for higher education in Asia and why entrepreneurial donors are drawn to the university’s liberal arts mission.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor Protopia for supporting this episode. Find out more about their award-winning technology designed to make scaling engagement simple. Visit protopia.co/alumless for more details.
This episode was originally released on May 16, 2025.

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