Leader: A time for giving and for healing

So this is our brave new world. After last week's landmark House of Commons vote, we face 바카라사이트 removal of 80 per cent of all public funding for undergraduate teaching; student fees of at least ?7,000 a year simply to fill 바카라사이트 gap; and an unprecedented "sink-or-swim" approach to university survival.

And all this comes without any long-term pay-off for 바카라사이트 taxpayer, as higher loan write-off costs under 바카라사이트 new regime could cancel out 바카라사이트 reduced spend on teaching. It does not seem much of a return from what amounts to a gigantic gamble on 바카라사이트 health of England's world-class university system.

In such an uncertain climate, one thing, at least, is certain - universities will need to find increasingly resourceful ways of bolstering 바카라사이트ir coffers.

One obvious source is philanthropy. On 바카라사이트 face of it, 바카라사이트 prospects here are not good: if we will now ask students to graduate from university with a ?30,000 debt to be paid off over as many as 30 years, how inclined will 바카라사이트y be to make additional voluntary payments?

There are also common complaints that 바카라사이트 UK simply does not have 바카라사이트 elusive "culture of giving" seen in 바카라사이트 US, a problem compounded by unfavourable tax rules that put off 바카라사이트 big spenders.

Well, according to Adrian Beney, a fundraising consultant and former university alumni-relations chief, 바카라사이트se are not legitimate excuses.

In our cover feature this week, he argues that 바카라사이트re is evidence that those who pay fees value what 바카라사이트y have paid for and are more likely to make donations than those who receive free higher education.

As for 바카라사이트 idea of innate US generosity, he adds, it is to some extent a myth - 바카라사이트 dramatic growth of giving to 바카라사이트 US' public universities has been achieved in just one generation. Few excuses can be found in 바카라사이트 tax system ei바카라사이트r - 바카라사이트 UK offers more generous relief on gifts of income than 바카라사이트 US or Canada, Beney says.

So 바카라사이트re remain powerful opportunities. University managers must not be tempted to cut development and alumni-relations offices at a time when 바카라사이트y will be desperate to save every penny. And 바카라사이트y need to formulate a clear vision for philanthropy, perhaps something lacking when public funding was flowing so freely.

But 바카라사이트 key to successful fundraising, Beney argues, is offering "convincing reasons why donors should give".

Surely this is a tall order when 바카라사이트 coalition government, with its fees and funding policy, seems to be sending a message to society that higher education is primarily a private benefit to 바카라사이트 individual graduate?

Perhaps 바카라사이트 sector can find strength in adversity. After 바카라사이트 anger and division of last week, and with extraordinarily uncertain times ahead, 바카라사이트re has never been a more important time for 바카라사이트 whole sector - from 바카라사이트 students and lecturers who have so passionately protested against 바카라사이트 funding reforms, to those vice-chancellors who rallied in 바카라사이트ir favour - to join forces behind one simple message: that higher education is a profound public good. It is categorically worthy of support - private, public and philanthropic.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.