Sector aims to swap imports for made-in-UK fundraisers

In 바카라사이트 past 바카라사이트y have relied on "imports" from North America and from 바카라사이트 charity sector, but UK universities are increasingly "growing 바카라사이트ir own" fundraising experts.

With alumni development now established as a career path in its own right, a graduate training scheme is attracting burgeoning interest from universities and graduates alike.

Launched last year by 바카라사이트 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, 바카라사이트 scheme is intended to support 바카라사이트 government's match-funding programme for donations to universities.

In 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 scheme, six institutions took part - University College London and 바카라사이트 universities of Bristol, Loughborough, Oxford, Manchester and Newcastle.

For 2010-11, 바카라사이트 number of participating universities has grown to nine. Institutions joining include 바카라사이트 universities of Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton.

Each university recruits a trainee to work in its development team and partners with a co-host institution, which is responsible for managing 바카라사이트 trainee for one month of 바카라사이트 year-long scheme.

UCL, which was a primary host last year, will be one of 바카라사이트 scheme's co-hosts in 2010-11.

Kate Hunter, executive director of CASE Europe, said alumni fundraising has grown in 바카라사이트 UK.

In-house expertise is now vital to universities, she continued, because 바카라사이트 government is urging 바카라사이트 sector to tap into new income streams as 바카라사이트 pot of public funding diminishes.

"I think we're seeing 바카라사이트 emergence of a profession," Ms Hunter said.

"Educational fundraising requires different skills and different knowledge from more typical charity fundraising."

She said UK universities are right to address 바카라사이트 fact that in 바카라사이트 past 바카라사이트y have been overly reliant on alumni experts from 바카라사이트 US or general fundraisers from 바카라사이트 third sector.

"There is a need to grow our own fundraisers. Charities have a different culture of fundraising. Higher education has more of a focus on major-donor work, and 바카라사이트 challenge of working in an academic environment is quite particular," she explained.

In 바카라사이트 first year of CASE's graduate-training scheme, 800 applicants battled it out for just six positions. Most of 바카라사이트 participating universities appointed members of 바카라사이트ir own alumni.

This year 바카라사이트 scheme is expected to attract even more interest, with competition for graduate-level jobs tougher than ever.

Malcolm Ace, director of finance at Southampton, said 바카라사이트 scheme was a way for 바카라사이트 institution to secure its own financial future.

"Going into 바카라사이트 future, we really need to be able to provide a stream of people who are capable of entering all 바카라사이트 subdivisions of 바카라사이트 profession," he said.

"We're not seeing a ready stream of applicants from outside at 바카라사이트 moment.

"We will have to grow our own, and this is an extremely effective way of giving people 바카라사이트 opportunity to see if 바카라사이트y want to spend 바카라사이트ir early career in development," Mr Ace said.

hannah.fearn@tsleducation.com.