News
Enriching the University with friendraising The university has employed a senior advisor that will encourage businesses, organisations and individuals to donate money to the university. An unknown person to many at the University of Gothenburg, but her CV includes the Lund University’s campaign A Better World. – Ulrika Nilsson is one the most experienced in Sweden within this field, says Vice-Chancellor Eva Wiberg. INTERNATIONALISATION and
fundraising, these are two items that have been on Eva Wiberg’s wishlist since she was appointed three years ago. – It is not as if fundraising will make or break us, but it means that we will be able to achieve a little bit more and be able to invest in certain areas, she says and points to the fact that basic funding for research and education will hardly increase by any significant amount. Half of all revenue currently comes from external grants. The reason is that the world is changing and fundraising is a phenomenon that we will have to get used to.
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the surrounding community that in turn can generate funds. This is an eagerly awaited initiative.
Eva Wiberg
She notes that the University of Gothenburg is far behind the major universities in terms of fundraising. – It is really not that strange. This university was established thanks to donations in the 19th century. We would not be where we are today – we would not be sitting in this building at Vasaparken – without benevolent townspeople who wanted to contribute to learning and education in their town. Eva Wiberg thinks that it is more a matter of friendraising than fundraising. – I have nothing against the term, but it is not the money per se that is important, but the result of good relationships with
– It is really not that strange. This university was established thanks to donations in the 19th century. EVA WIBERG
Some argue that fundraising threatens the university’s independence, can you understand that? – Absolutely. Our primary task is to educate, carry out research and collaborate. As the vice-chancellor, I have the final say and for me, it is about supporting our lecturers and researchers, ensuring that they are able to work under the best possible conditions. The people who believe that we should not be involved in this are perhaps the people who, at the end of the day, will benefit. Ultimately, it may involve extra support for cancer research or that the Faculty of Science is able to purchase an expensive piece of equipment. Ulrika Nilsson got the job in competition with nine other applicants and is one of the most
