Targeted donations could level the playing field for universities beyond the elite | Letters

Your editorial on fixing the universities’ problems notes that a handful of elite institutions rake in most of the philanthropic donations (The Guardian view on Cambridge’s £190m gift: billionaires won’t fix universities’ problems, 6 April). You imply a Matthew effect: “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance” (Matthew 25:29).

Yet perhaps we’re actually seeing a governance effect, as there is a small number of universities that are not governed conventionally by councils of lay, external, non-executive trustees. This handful includes Oxford and Cambridge. These institutions are governed unconventionally by their staff and alumni, and they are disproportionately successful at fundraising.

We saw this at the University of Buckingham. When the university was run democratically by the staff, it was supremely successful at soliciting donations, including £5.5m from Lord Vinson (a huge gift for such a small institution) in addition to donations in excess of £1m apiece from several donors and gifts from foundations.

But in 2017 and 2019, the council of lay, external, non-executive trustees changed the royal charter twice, to disempower the academics and to empower themselves, and today the university raises so little money that the post of fundraiser has been made redundant.

Universities don’t perhaps illustrate the Matthew effect as much as the Samuel effect, for in 1 Samuel 8:5–20, God tells the Israelites that democratic self‑government is best.
Terence Kealey
Vice-chancellor, University of Buckingham, 2001-14

Too often, donations flow to already wealthy, exclusive institutions, reinforcing inequalities the sector urgently needs to address. If donors are serious about impact, the question is not how much they give, but where it will make the greatest difference.

Financial pressures across UK universities are real and may deter some donors who fear that their contributions will simply plug deficits. Yet this is precisely the moment when targeted philanthropy matters most.

Universities remain among the UK’s most trusted institutions and play a central role in health, opportunity and economic growth. Many – including the University of East London (UEL) – are reshaping education to serve diverse communities and meet today’s social and economic challenges.

UEL is the most socially inclusive UK university, contributes more than £1.1bn to the UK economy annually, and is one of only 10 debt-free universities, while our ground-breaking Neighbourhood Health Hub and a range of other practice centres are providing free services to local communities who would otherwise go without.

There are many myths about universities, which all too often result in the same institutions benefiting from philanthropic generosity. Yet when UEL ranks equally with Oxford and Cambridge for positive outcomes in the Graduate Outcomes Survey, it is clear that the greatest opportunity for transformative giving is not only behind the gates of privilege, but in institutions where each pound can widen access, strengthen communities and drive inclusive growth.

If philanthropy is to meet this moment, it must shift from prestige to purpose.
Prof Amanda Broderick
Vice-chancellor and president, UEL