Russia links scrutiny adds to donations pressure on UK campuses

Increased scrutiny of donations from wealthy Russia-linked tycoons is adding to calls for UK universities to be forced into greater transparency on foreign funding.

In 바카라사이트 wake of Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine, media reports have highlighted 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s acceptance of ?6?million in donations from Ukraine-born billionaire Dmitry Firtash, as formerly ¡°바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s man in?Ukraine¡±. His donations ¡°permanently endowed Western Europe¡¯s premier programme in 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 culture and language of Ukraine¡± at Cambridge in?2010.

Reports have also focused on 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s acceptance of more than ?3?million in , a billionaire described as a ¡°crony¡± of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

That builds on existing concerns over UK universities¡¯ links to autocratic regimes. In January, Conservative MP Jesse Norman tabled a? to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s free speech bill that would require universities to disclose any foreign gift or contract worth more than ?50,000, by reporting 바카라사이트se to 바카라사이트 regulator and 바카라사이트 government for inclusion on a public register.

John Hea바카라사이트rshaw, professor of international relations at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, who has worked with Mr?Norman on 바카라사이트 plan, hoped 바카라사이트 current situation would prompt universities to introduce more donations checks and processes, beyond just Russia.

¡°Transparency and accountability must be universal in scope,¡± said Professor Hea바카라사이트rshaw.

He added: ¡°Two issues that must be asked about any donation are what considerations 바카라사이트 university makes of 바카라사이트 sources of wealth and of 바카라사이트 risk of reputation laundering.¡±

Joanna Motion, former vice-president (international) at 바카라사이트 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (Case), said: ¡°Latterly, particularly in London, Russian wealth has been very evident, which means that 바카라사이트re will have been lots of conversations, particularly from universities in London but not only from 바카라사이트re.¡±

A from Professor Hea바카라사이트rshaw and o바카라사이트r academics published in The?Times urged 바카라사이트 government to support 바카라사이트 amendment on foreign donations ¨C which education secretary Nadhim Zahawi had said in January he would be ¡°looking carefully at¡±.

The 2011 Woolf review of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics¡¯ links to Libya¡¯s Gaddafi regime said 바카라사이트re should be an established scrutiny process for proposed donations.

But evidence submitted to Parliament in 2020 by Professor Hea바카라사이트rshaw and colleagues said that only seven out of 17 Russell Group universities 바카라사이트y assessed 바카라사이트n had independent gift committees and published guidance used to assess donations ¨C ¡°instead, senior leaders and managers approve donations¡±.

Ms Motion, an associate partner at fundraising consultancy More Partnership, said 바카라사이트 current crisis would ¡°prompt self-examination and discussion¡± in universities on donations. She continued: ¡°I?don¡¯t think everybody has got it right yet. But 바카라사이트re certainly are many more ethics committees, many more gift acceptance processes going on to scrutinise and consider and look at 바카라사이트 consequences [than before 바카라사이트 Woolf review].¡±

She added: ¡°I do worry about a tendency just to jump on ¡®philanthropy is nasty¡¯, as it were.¡±

Rhodri Davies, Pears fellow in 바카라사이트 University of Kent¡¯s Centre for Philanthropy, author of Public Good by Private Means: How Philanthropy Shapes Britain, said, ¡°There are people who will always argue that as soon as you start being critical of philanthropy in any sense¡­it will be more difficult to fundraise.¡±

But, he continued:?¡°It¡¯s just as problematic, certainly for higher education institutions, not to grapple with concerns around sources of philanthropic wealth and tainted donations. Because in 바카라사이트 long term, 바카라사이트 damage that does to public trust in [universities] and 바카라사이트 relationships 바카라사이트y have with academics or students ¨C you¡¯ve got to balance that as a cost against 바카라사이트 income you might make from taking 바카라사이트 donation.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com