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Loughborough to host graduate trainee as part of programme to boost HE sector fundraising

Posted on 26/05/2009

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Loughborough to host graduate trainee as part of programme to boost HE sector fundraising

Loughborough University is to host a graduate trainee placement as part of a new initiative aimed at boosting the fundraising drive within the Higher Education sector.

Twelve UK universities have joined forces for the new three-year graduate trainee programme, which has been launched by CASE – the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s (HEFCE) matched-funding scheme, the initiative aims to increase the number of fundraising professionals working in HE.

From August 24, Loughborough will ‘host’ a trainee in a bid to support the next generation of fundraising professionals. Along with the other five hosts – the universities of Bristol, Oxford, Manchester, Newcastle and University College London – Loughborough will guide its graduate trainee through at least three areas of fundraising development activity during the one-year programme, including donor relations, prospect research, and implementation of strategies to secure financial support.

Each host university will also be paired with a co-host institution where fundraising activities are newer and the interns will undertake a one-month secondment at that institution.

“We’re very pleased that Loughborough is among the first cohort of universities to participate in this programme,” said Ron Gray, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Loughborough.  “Hosting a graduate trainee will not only help to address the shortage of fundraising professionals in higher education, but we also anticipate it will be a valuable learning experience for our existing staff and will help us to further develop our fundraising programmes in the future.”

CASE is the professional organisation for those working in alumni relations, communications, fundraising, marketing and other areas. It has launched this graduate trainee programme to increase the culture of giving to universities, and in response to the growth of fundraising activity in the sector.

“The aim of this programme is to develop high-calibre fundraising professionals in the HE sector, in a sense to grow our own fundraisers specific to the sector,” said CASE Vice-President for International Operations Joanna Motion. “We want to raise the profile of fundraising so it becomes an attractive career option for talented people, and this is particularly important in the current economic climate where graduates need to be aware of all the opportunities available to them. The long-term benefits to the HE sector are likely to be widely felt, with a further 24 universities becoming involved in years two and three of the scheme.”

The basic salary for trainees is £18,000 and CASE Europe will part-fund these trainee places by 50% in the first year. CASE will also provide their own ongoing training programmes and a learning support group for trainees. At least 20 graduates are expected to go through the one-year scheme

CASE Europe will be rolling out a number of other programmes in the next few months as part of the matched funding scheme for voluntary giving 2008-2011.

To apply visit case.org Career Centre.