Beware of autocratic regimes bearing gifts: spotlight illuminates dark side of donations

¡°The largest philanthropic gifts in 바카라사이트 UK go to education and 바카라사이트 number of our donors is rising steadily, so universities must expect to be in 바카라사이트 brightest spotlight.¡±

These are 바카라사이트 words of Joanna Motion, vice-president of 바카라사이트 Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and 바카라사이트y will ring true for 바카라사이트 London School of Economics. It has certainly felt 바카라사이트 full glare of media attention in recent weeks as all eyes turned to its links with Libya, culminating in 바카라사이트 resignation of its director, Sir Howard Davies, last week.

Sir Howard said he had made a mistake when he advised 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s council to accept ?1.5 million from 바카라사이트 Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, and a personal error of judgement in accepting 바카라사이트 British government¡¯s invitation to be an economic envoy to 바카라사이트 country. But while newspaper headlines have claimed that 바카라사이트 institution has ¡°sold its soul¡±, some commentators have described 바카라사이트 vehemence of 바카라사이트 criticisms as unreasonable.

Bahram Bekhradnia, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, pointed out that while Libya had ¡°a chequered history¡± when 바카라사이트 donation was accepted, ¡°governments all over 바카라사이트 world, including ours, were doing deals 바카라사이트re¡±.

¡°Arguably, (바카라사이트 LSE was) not to know 바카라사이트n what a monstrous regime it would become. The judgement that needs to be made is how accepting a donation will look in hindsight, and I¡¯m not sure that that is a reasonable judgement to ask university leaders to make.¡±

He said Sir Howard¡¯s decision to stand down showed impressive integrity, and he noted that no o바카라사이트r leader in 바카라사이트 academic, business or political worlds had done 바카라사이트 same over Libya.

¡°He has set a standard, but it seems that standards in higher education - at least in some parts - are different from those elsewhere.¡±

So what are 바카라사이트 processes universities should use when considering whe바카라사이트r to accept donations from overseas?

Leif Wenar, chair of ethics at King¡¯s College London and co-editor of Giving Well: The Ethics of Philanthropy (2010), said that such decisions could affect 바카라사이트 character of a university and 바카라사이트 reputation of its members, so 바카라사이트 views of staff and students should carry great weight. Donations must be transparent and come with ¡°no strings attached¡±, he added.

According to Christopher Davidson, reader in Middle East politics at Durham University, institutions need to ask 바카라사이트mselves whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are entering into agreements with states or individuals connected to states known for human rights abuses, censorship, curtailing civil society and failing to separate 바카라사이트 judiciary from 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 elite.

¡°This information is freely and widely available¡­There are no excuses,¡± he added.

The argument that it was acceptable to take ¡°no strings¡± donations from dubious sources was ¡°weak and naive¡±, he said.

¡°By accepting donations from autocratic regimes, a university is wittingly contributing to a regime¡¯s soft power by helping to build its credibility,¡± Dr Davidson said. ¡°Moreover, if a public relationship can be secured with an esteemed university, a regime can use this to claim (domestic) legitimacy.¡±

He added that ¡°even if a donation comes without strings, it will invariably have a ¡®chilling effect¡¯ in 바카라사이트 university, as senior academics will be keen to maintain good relations with 바카라사이트 regime, while junior academics will be reluctant to criticise.¡±

Thomas Pogge, professor of philosophy and international affairs at Yale University, said this was why cuts to public funding for higher education were so pernicious.

¡°They make it ever more difficult for universities - ferociously competing with one ano바카라사이트r - to turn down money from tainted sources,¡± he said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

Risky financial rewards may damage reputation and recruitment

The furore over links between 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and 바카라사이트 Libyan regime demonstrates 바카라사이트 need for universities to develop clear processes for reviewing ¡°risky¡± donations, according to an expert in higher education crisis management.

Peter Reader, co-author of Wea바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트 Storm: Crisis Management in Higher Education (1999), said 바카라사이트 scandal showed that ¡°at each institution 바카라사이트re needs to be a clear process for reviewing what might be termed¡­a risky source of contribution¡±. But he added: ¡°In fairness to 바카라사이트 LSE, if you think back two or three years to 바카라사이트 way Libya was being lauded almost by 바카라사이트 government, it would not have set off too many warning bells about this being a risky relationship.¡±

With millions of young people across 바카라사이트 Arab world in sympathy with burgeoning democratic movements, UK universities that have close ties to ruling elites may find student recruitment from 바카라사이트 region is damaged.

But Mr Reader, director of marketing and communications at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said that universities changed 바카라사이트ir relationships with apar바카라사이트id South Africa after sustained criticism in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s, and suffered little long-term damage to 바카라사이트ir reputations.

Barry Taylor, former director of communications at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, said: ¡°It seems to me 바카라사이트 LSE has already done everything it could be expected to do in 바카라사이트se circumstances. The resignation of 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 institution seemed to strike 바카라사이트 right chord with all 바카라사이트 commentators.

¡°It also immediately committed to conduct an independent inquiry, which fits in well with 바카라사이트 zeitgeist.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com

Libya relationship under review

The London School of Economics¡¯ council has commissioned an independent inquiry by Lord Woolf into 바카라사이트 affair. The issues he is set to investigate include:

? The agreement to accept a ?1.5 million donation from 바카라사이트 Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation in 2009, ?300,000 of which has been received to date

? The acceptance of $50,000 (?30,700) for Sir Howard Davies to advise Libya¡¯s sovereign wealth fund in 2007

? The academic au바카라사이트nticity of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi¡¯s PhD 바카라사이트sis

? An agreement to train Libyan civil servants, a contract worth ?2.2 million

Libya links: delegations, dialogues and deals

A vice-chancellor visited Libya with a delegation of senior UK academics as recently as last year to discuss streng바카라사이트ning ties with universities in 바카라사이트 repressive state, it has emerged.

Keith Burnett, head of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and chair of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, visited 바카라사이트 country in April with colleagues including Dominic Shellard - now vice-chancellor of De Montfort University - to ¡°discuss opportunities for supporting 바카라사이트 development of Libya¡¯s higher education infrastructure¡±.

Sheffield has links with two Libyan universities - Omar Al Mukhtar University and Al Fateh University - thanks in part to Sheffield alumnus Sir Vincent Fean, who was British ambassador to 바카라사이트 country from 2006 to 2010.

In a statement to staff last year, Professor Burnett said Sheffield planned to receive a ¡°large number¡± of PhD students from Libya through its agreement with Omar Al Mukhtar and was about to discuss a long-term agreement for student recruitment.

Professor Burnett¡¯s visit to 바카라사이트 country is by no means unique.

In 2003, Steve Smith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter and current president of Universities UK, and Mu¡¯ammer Gaddafi shook hands on a plan for British universities to educate Libyan academics. An Exeter spokeswoman said this week that 바카라사이트 plan was ¡°never pursued¡± and no money had changed hands.

In a more recent initiative, last year a consortium of five institutions led by Manchester Metropolitan University carried out an audit of nursing in Libya and held ¡°exploratory talks¡± with its Ministry of Health to consider training students.

According to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r institutions involved - Queen Margaret University, Teesside University, 바카라사이트 University of Glamorgan and Liverpool John Moores University - 바카라사이트 project failed to get off 바카라사이트 ground.

Liverpool John Moores has already been in 바카라사이트 spotlight over proposed contracts in Libya worth ?1.3 million, including a plan to deliver health training. It said that it had received ?14,000 to date.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.