# The evolving role of VC’s and integrated advancement in higher education

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/06/10/the-evolving-role-of-vcs-and-integrated-advancement-in-higher-education/
- Published: 2021-06-10T18:03:18+01:00
- Author: Guest Blogger

**Tsunami or consistent turbulence: in a post-Brexit and pandemic world what is 
needed from HE’s institutional leadership to give philanthropy and external engagement
its rightful place?**

It is now more than thirty years since universities in the UK began to build their
professional development and external relations infrastructures in a serious way.
The demands placed on institutional leaders have increased and the expectations 
placed on them are very different today. We still often look across the pond to 
the USA, but also increasingly Australia, to gauge the trends and roles of those
leading fundraising and incomes generation in HE.

## ⏎ Fundraisers leading universities?

Some years ago, a Vice-Chancellor said that we won’t see fundraisers leading universities
in the UK, but today, we see a number of fundraisers and other advancement professionals
sitting at the leadership table, with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor title or similar status,
but this trend needs to speed up, if we are to see fundraising playing an increased

and more impactful role in our universities. Fundraising – and all that goes with
it – needs to be more strategically positioned – to engage the most senior people
in an institution and we need to think about the implications for those at the top
and what we need of them.

## Advertisement

The title **‘President’** has also been creeping into the job titles of our university
leaders, as their roles develop to become more externally facing, their activities
do become more ‘presidential’. Most, but not all, UK university leaders have reached
the top position following successful academic careers. Increasingly, though, institutions
require their leaders to be their external champions and shift in focus is required.

In a post Brexit, and soon to be post-pandemic, environment how does the role of
the Vice-Chancellor evolve to address the multiple financial challenges and needs
of their institutions? How do they build a future-proof leadership team around them
that will have an increasing externally focussed lens? Is it time for a shake-up
at the top where the person leading the University “presidentially” must provide
transformative leadership utilising the
expansive network of alumni and donors to
drive and sustain success?

Throughout the pandemic at Cairney & Company we have been [engaging with university leaders](https://cairneyandcompany.com/blog/category/Cairney+Conversations.)
across a wide range of institutions including the universities of Glasgow, University
College London, Central Lancashire and the West of England.

## Vice-Chancellors see their roles changing

Throughout our discussions, we have been struck by a number of common factors; Vice-
Chancellors are seeing their roles changing, with a greater focus on external (ambassadorial)
activity, amplified during the Pandemic, as they are travelling less and spending
more time on-line. A renewed recognition of the value of their largest external

stakeholder group, alumni, and the institutional role they can play in elevating
the brand, participating in recruitment, supporting the student experience through
mentoring and internships as well as in many cases being donors as well.

 [⌊Glasgow University⌉](https://www.flickr.com/photos/scalino/37478212504/in/photolist-Z6PCRE-2gRF7gH-2gRF5ao-XqQZpG-2gRFUas-o3ZtEo-2hLTvDo-54qi54-2h74Fgd-nAZQJT-Dxf4-242rhZE-LURikw-M2yyFC-9N8Uyc-2bNNLa-9N8Uax-8MxBEv-8MxMTz-vKx9C-AYSp8-LRZA-5MXbjL-Rx2VwN-XpUXAS-34n6av-34n7Ce-vKwKc-4iGxgn-a5Bxad-5MXcfW-GaGXf-21bB6uz-WscLhv-2hHHCJY-38bmJ3-xmx1p-ezB2s2-ezB3Ui-66yuzX-ezB2Qk-ezB3nn-ezEekG-4aWWtZ-5EjB8V-BBmEk-GMc2k-9aEjPL-943CPn-92Qaj2)

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli – Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the **University
of Glasgow**, understands both the importance and potential of philanthropy and 
engagement to advance the mission of his university, with a seat at the top table
to [Rachel Sandison](https://cairneyandcompany.com/rachel-sandison), their VP of
External Relations and a restructure of their development team under the leadership
of [Fran Shepherd](https://cairneyandcompany.com/fran-shepherd). Glasgow is determined
to supercharge their external and philanthropic ambitions to support the creation
and distribution of knowledge that is – to quote their increasingly recognised brand–
world changing.

 [⌊University College London⌉](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/246302725/in/photolist-nLndH-THw9gq-9sMTfj-E21dxK-RjyHbj-Ro3vG2-9xhYxX-RjyKNJ-nLndG-3tpKqL-J8srZc-9sJSjX-2cUEg4n-nY7UFv-axR8xJ-JEW6NC-9sMUGU-iwbMas-3tkbUt-UmXwP2-V1iKpC-UmXxnB-9sMTX1-VLC73b-26iT2qc-bCYEPB-bRWg8t-JY9iQ-bRWyCD-bRWqhD-V1iKzY-UmXxJZ-V1iKDW-9sMz5V-uxnRo6-9sQyBs-BpHT5-bD2Qwh-8XH9B3-moad3S-9sMyHk-bRWxSa-bq4JLC-bD2QpN-Ro3y8p-bD2Q83-bD2PWL-bD2QA7-bRWpQx-bD2G77)

Similarly, Professor Michael Arthur, recently retired Provost and President of **
University College London**, understands how fundraising works, recently completing
a **£600 million campaign**. One of the key decisions that Professor Arthur took
was to position his advancement professional leader – the late Dr Lori Houlihan –
at the top table of his administrative structure, as Vice-Provost for Advancement.
This was a significant step for UCL, but also for the wider higher education sector.
Professor Arthur acknowledges that the partnership between him and Dr Houlihan was
crucial to the success that UCL enjoyed with its recent campaign. However, Professor
Arthur also understands the many conflicting demands that a university makes on 
its leaders and so in order to move forward and build the investment needed to support
growth, fundraisers must have an eye on the bottom line, “Nothing speaks louder 
than money’, he said.

Universities have had a hugely challenging year; they have seen income from sources
such as international student recruitment severely impacted. Covid’s impact on the
student experience, the emotional wellbeing of staff and students amplified and 
are now looking to re-build their institutions, in a world where we are yet to fully
understand the impact in areas such as research income and student fees.

## Success breeds success, but it does not happen by accident

The annual CASE Ross Report, capturing investment and income from alumni engagement
and fundraising, continues to demonstrate that those institutions with the highest
existing profile, status and research history are among those which raise the most.
However, these are also the institutions which invest the most in the processes 
that support this success and have done so consistently over recent decades. While
success breeds success, it does not happen by accident.

 [⌊Bristol Business School, UWE⌉](https://www.flickr.com/photos/34517490@N00/34324317971/in/photolist-7DUGm4-7DYt3o-7DYwad-7DUFwH-2e4DAcH-4vJ7eh-7DYyk3-7DUHL2-7DYtfL-7DYqSG-ZHp3Xj-Uonqnc-7DUGJz-7DYxkm-TFz1hA-T3mzBH-Ui86TH-HyLepC-mmxa9o-mmvXgB-mmtB9s-7iVRaJ-mmtEg9-ags6KD-TUEkC1-7iVRrG-UcUUCq-7iVRkY-5LsUJM-7iRXDB-UbPjiV-UjJ76q-5H53RD-agsv2Q-5H9nqj-Mpabt9-TNnTZA-5XdBC8-AziTE3-5XhRjd-BuwnFo-B5FSzA-V9JcTK-EzxKQ-EzxwC-EzxLE-Ezxx5-EzxL3-EzxLh-EzxKm)

Meanwhile, the inspiring Cairney Conversation with Professor Steve West, Vice-Chancellor
and CEO of the **University of the West of England** turned the focus away from 
just the numbers of how much UWE raises, to consider the role that philanthropy 
could play at his university as part of an integrated approach to achieving socially
impactful institutional priorities. It was all about the role of UWE in the community
and how that could be extended by taking a different approach to income-generation
and with a clear understanding that his own role would potentially change and become
less internally focused.

Similarly, at the **University of Central Lancashire** (UCLan), Professor Graham
Baldwin became Vice-Chancellor in 2019 and set about reinforcing UCLan’s mission
as a ‘global university and local champion with a can-do attitude.’ Professor Baldwin
acknowledges that the University’s approach to external engagement was not all that
it could be, ‘It’s true we’re under-formed in our alumni work. There’s a long way
to go but it’s vitally important.’

Professor Baldwin is one of a growing number of Vice-Chancellors who acknowledge
that their role in driving philanthropic growth and the cultures and activities 
that support it, is important. “My role is to get fully behind fundraising”, he 
says.

## Two roles?

However, for this really to happen, the job descriptions of many university leaders
in the UK must change. They cannot both be the ‘Principal Professor,’ and the ‘Chief
Advancement Officer’.

So, we see a trend towards a more ‘presidential’ model. Universities are increasingly
globally-focused and the title Vice-Chancellor is less well understood internationally–
especially in the USA, but it also recognises that institutional leaders must become
more externally focused and engaged. As the need for diversification in income generation
grows, our university leaders must develop the skills, mindsets and ambitions to
be able to perfect
their ability to translate the needs of an institution into a
dialogue that meets the needs of its external stakeholders – investors, partners
and donors – in both the public and private sectors.

## ⏎ A change in leadership model is needed…

As institutions look to the future and to post-pandemic recovery, now is the time
to consider how university’s think more externally and act to build deeper partnerships
with their stakeholders. The alumni body of any university is by far the largest
group of individuals that it has a relationship with. Yet, the time and investment
made in this huge and important group can be staggeringly small, compared to the
investment made up front to attract them to the institution in the first place. 
We hear a lot about the student journey but it is still too heavily weighted towards
the beginning of the students’ journey, getting them over the institutional threshold.
In our work we see so many universities, then having to spend an inordinate amount
of time and resources trying to re-engage with alumni once they have graduated. 
We often hear that building a cradle to grave continuum is of great importance to
an institution’s strategy. However, this often does not translate into strategy 
or resources.

## … and in coordination to maximise income generation

There is not only a shift in the leadership model needed, but also in how institutions
ensure the greatest co-ordination, leverage and impact with often limited resources
and expertise to maximise the return on investment on income generation. A fundraiser
may not start their day thinking about the ground-breaking research that will save
lives or the teaching timetable to maximise the learning experience of students.
Similarly, a lecturer may not start their day thinking about how to stay connected
with their alumni or the pitch they are about to make to a major donor. However,
the one thing everyone starts their day thinking about is how to best serve the 
institution they work for.

When we bring together the minds, passion, innovation, and creativity in a truly
integrated model of thinking the benefits are experienced at all levels. A fully
integrated model that is aligned to institutional strategy and supported by the 
leaderships provides the resources to fund critical infrastructure, consistent messaging
of brand, better informed and actively engaged ambassadors and a stronger and more
successful institution with eyes all focussed
on the same prize of making it the
best it can be for everyone.

It has been said many times that fundraising is the servant of institutional strategy:
it does not drive it and we need more institutional leaders who recognise the investment
needed for long term success and then finding and keeping the right people to build
the machine that will drive the programme forward. This is no longer a choice but
an essential for future success and in some cases survival.

![Karen Cairney, founder and CEO at Cairney & Company](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2021/06/karen-cairney-1024x683.jpg)

Karen Cairney

_**[Karen Cairney](https://twitter.com/KarenCairney2)** is Founder and CEO of [Cairney & Company](http://www.cairneyandcompany.com),
a global company of innovative and creative fundraisers, strategists, communicators,
researchers, trainers and coaches, based in the UK, USA, Canada and Hong Kong. _