In collaboration with CASE EUROPE, UIC Barcelona organised a breakfast-discussion titled “Generating a Culture of Engagement and Philanthropy” on 31 October at the Barcelona campus. This event was aimed at Alumni professionals and fundraising managers in academic and research institutions. It began with a university welcome from Dr Eduardo Mirpuri, Vice-Chancellor for International Relations. Pamela Agar, Co-Executive Director of CASE Europe, then presented the “CASE Insights on Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy”, highlighting the importance of achieving greater engagement with alumni and donors in a global context.
The round table, moderated by Sara Di Lullo, director of Client Engagement for the UK and Europe at the Veritus Group, featured leading experts in fundraising and institutional engagement: Alicia Cardona, coordinator of Philanthropy and Strategic Alliances at CREAF; Emma Jones, director of Advancement at Stockholm International School; Luis Jover, director of Corporate Development at IESE Business School; and Juan Pablo Garrido, director of Corporate Development at UIC Barcelona.
Sara Di Lullo opened the debate by stressing that a true culture of philanthropy and commitment goes beyond fundraising. “It is about building deep and meaningful relationships that respect the passions of the donors and make them true partners of the university mission,” she explained. To achieve this, she stressed the importance of transparency, celebrating impact and the involvement of the entire organisation – from leaders to front-line staff – in the relationship with donors. She also argued for breaking down divisions within teams, encouraging collaboration, and ensuring that fundraising efforts are transformative, not just transactional.
The speakers outlined the main challenges they face every day in driving commitment and philanthropy in their organisations, as well as the essential pillars for creating a strong and sustainable culture of donations. Each one provided a unique perspective on the challenges in their institutions and agreed on the importance of building meaningful relationships with Alumni and donors, based on a shared purpose and values, ensuring an authentic and lasting philanthropic culture.
Director of Corporate Development of UIC Barcelona Juan Pablo Garrido highlighted the importance of organising these events in collaboration with CASE to promote learning at UIC Barcelona and other higher education institutions: “Sessions like today’s allow us to learn from different professionals and sectors and apply that knowledge to our project. The help of CASE is undoubtedly valuable since they are the international benchmark in university management.”
The event concluded with a networking breakfast, where attendees exchanged ideas and experiences on best practices to foster engagement and philanthropy in the university and research fields.
