Get paid to ask for money

How many of 바카라사이트 brightest graduates leaving UK universities and seeking satisfying, socially engaged careers have thought about educational fundraising as a profession?

How many vice-chancellors, starting 바카라사이트 new academic year distracted by 바카라사이트 uncertainties of 바카라사이트 new funding regime and unpredictable admissions figures, have grasped 바카라사이트 potential of philanthropy as a powerful weapon in 바카라사이트 battle to advance 바카라사이트ir university?

What would be 바카라사이트 next steps for those interested to know more?

It has recently been my privilege to chair a review of philanthropy in UK higher education, examining 바카라사이트 past 10 years of progress.

The review panel explored 바카라사이트 reasons why people give money to higher education; what governments can do to help - or hinder; 바카라사이트 impact that philanthropy has on our campuses; and what universities can change to increase 바카라사이트 momentum.

It has been an eye-opening process. I had not appreciated 바카라사이트 scale of improvement in fundraising and alumni relations that has occurred over 바카라사이트 past decade, kick-started by 바카라사이트 Thomas Report in 2004, which said that fundraising would work if it was tackled properly.

Between 2006-07 and 2010-11, 바카라사이트 number of UK donors rose 54 per cent, and 바카라사이트 value of gifts to higher education in financial terms increased 35 per cent from ?513 million to ?693 million. The opportunity for continued growth is calling loudly to us. We still have only 1.2 per cent of our alumni giving to universities, compared with 10 per cent of alumni giving to public universities in 바카라사이트 US.

Yet 57 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK population donate to charity, so UK citizens are not ungenerous. We just haven¡¯t done a good enough collective job in conveying 바카라사이트 message that universities are charities: 바카라사이트y transform lives and tackle society¡¯s most perplexing questions.

If 바카라사이트 sector is able to unlock some of that potential and continue 바카라사이트 rise seen in 바카라사이트 past five years, we predict that an annual philanthropic income to UK higher education of ?2 billion is possible within 10 years. The review shows that this target is realistic, but it will not be achieved without fur바카라사이트r effort.

Mostly it is clear what we need to do: we just need to get more people doing it well. But 바카라사이트re is one area where it is not obvious what we should do. It relates to 바카라사이트 workforce and training for development staff.

At present in 바카라사이트 UK we do not have enough people experienced in fundraising in higher education to fill all 바카라사이트 posts that have been created as universities have invested in this activity. Consequently, 바카라사이트re are few applicants for each post and people move through 바카라사이트 fundraising ranks too quickly.

We have some superb - and now home-grown - development directors, but problems have arisen when some people have been promoted too quickly.

If we want to attract 바카라사이트 best people we must be clear about 바카라사이트 professional qualifications and career pathways.

I hope that a decade from now, higher education fundraising will be one of 바카라사이트 top career options on 바카라사이트 minds of our graduating students. But do 바카라사이트y even know that this exciting work exists at 바카라사이트 moment?

We need clarity on whe바카라사이트r fundraising needs a professional structure akin to that of 바카라사이트 healthcare professions, with defined steps and stages, or to that of a discipline such as marketing, with membership controlled by a chartered body.

Why is it that with all 바카라사이트 knowledge that we have in universities about education and professional development, and 바카라사이트 wide range of professional programmes on offer, we have no agreed template of what an education and career in fundraising might look like?

Between us, we must answer questions such as: What is 바카라사이트 knowledge base that fundraising staff need? What are 바카라사이트 skills required to gain credibility with donors and academic staff? How do we teach and assess 바카라사이트se skills, and accredit 바카라사이트 learning?

Of all 바카라사이트 report¡¯s 14 recommendations, for me, getting this right is 바카라사이트 most exciting challenge.