The Effect of Giving Your support in 2016/17
london.ac.uk/support
Contents Welcome from Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Adrian Smith
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University of London Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Adrian Smith outlines the importance of philanthropy, and the effect it has had on the University during the 2016-17 academic year.
Highlights of the year
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From BeFriending books, to volunteering through our pilot mentoring scheme, our community has made a significant impact on the University.
A lasting legacy
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Institute of Classical Studies Director Greg Woolf reflects on the academic life of his esteemed colleague John Casey, who left a substantial gift to the Institute’s library in his will.
The gift of time
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Gary Rostron, member of the University of London Institute in Paris Advisory Group, shares his experience as a volunteer and what inspired him to get involved.
T.S. Eliot International Summer School
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Founders and co-directors of the T.S Eliot International Summer School, Professor Emeritus Warwick Gould and Professor Ron Schuchard reveal how philanthropy has benefitted this programme.
Our year in numbers
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We share a glimpse of what we have been able to achieve thanks to the support and commitment of our donors and volunteers.
Final thoughts Development Director Bill Abraham looks back on the journey of the University’s Development Office over the last two years.
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Your support in 2016/17
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Welcome It is with the deepest gratitude that I thank all of our valued donors and volunteers who have contributed so generously to the University during the 2016/17 academic year. It is only with your support that the University of London can continue to deliver the world-class research and teaching which has characterised our institution for almost 200 years. This publication reflects on the support we have received from our donors and volunteers over the last 12 months, and aims to update you on the progress that has been made by the University of London. Your generosity has enabled a wide range of activities and we are incredibly grateful for your support. Thank you! You will see how we have taken steps to create a foundation for new volunteer activity with graduates of the University of London International Programmes, as well as hearing from one of our University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) alumni, Gary Rostron, who generously gives his time and expertise to ULIP by volunteering as a member of the Paris Advisory Group. We are proud that the academic strength of the University of London continues to grow, and warmly welcome Professor Bill Sherman as the new Director of the Warburg Institute, Professor Jo Fox as the new Director of the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) and Professor Rick Rylance, previously Director of the Institute of English Studies, as our new Dean of the School of Advanced Study. These are stellar academic appointments and see us continue to lead in the teaching and research of the humanities.
Looking ahead, we are preparing for a year filled with celebrations. 2018 marks 150 years since women were first permitted to sit special examinations at the University of London. This anniversary is an embodiment of our unwavering commitment to opening access to education and, over the course of the year, we will be holding a series of high profile events to mark this milestone. I do hope you will be able to join us. Our mission to provide access to education is as relevant today as it was in 1836. Here in the heart of London, and on every continent around the world, students are studying for University of London degrees and it is the support of people such as you that makes this possible. I do hope you enjoy finding out more about the impact your support has had on our students and research, and that you will consider continuing to support us in Professor Sir Adrian Smith FRS whatever way Vice-Chancellor you can. University of London
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Your support in 2016/17
Highlights of the year Library Friends fund vital book conservation This summer was exceptionally busy for the Friends of Senate House Library, the group who work to increase awareness of the Library’s nationally recognised Collections, and to raise funds in support of the Library’s research activities. On 1st July the Friends relaunched BeFriend a Book: the scheme which supports vital conservation work at Senate House Library. Each of the books featured in the scheme have been identified by Senate House Library as in need of immediate conservation and repair. Many are hundreds of years old, and their past lives and provenance are of huge cultural and historical importance. The relaunch of BeFriend a Book has been a real success, with the Friends of Senate House Library raising a fantastic £4,930 so far towards the conservation of these precious items. The conservation work needed on three of these items was fully funded by the Friends and, as soon as their vital conservation work has been completed, they will return to the shelves to be safely accessed by Library members. To find out more about the scheme, visit senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/befriend-a-book
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Your support in 2016/17
“There are few more direct and satisfying ways to support Senate House Library than to join BeFriend a Book, and help ensure that its many treasures are passed safely down to posterity.” Professor Michael Slater MBE, benefactor of BeFriend a Book.
Pilot mentoring project gets off to a flying start
guidance, alumni mentors played a valuable role in enhancing the student experience. Crucially, the programme also fostered career connections, added an additional layer of valuable student advice, and aided in the development of professional skills and expectations.
This year, the University of London International Academy set up its first mentoring programme in Sri Lanka. The pilot project specifically targeted both Undergraduate Laws students who were about to face their year-end examinations, and Undergraduate Economic Management, Finance and Social Sciences students who had just graduated and were looking for career guidance.
For alumni, volunteering as a mentor provides a way to give back to the University and to make a tangible impact on those following in their footsteps. One mentor said, “For me, it has been a wonderful experience, especially since I know how important it is to have a guide when studying for a final exam. I hope it was a worthy experience for my mentee as well.”
A number of alumni volunteered for the project; becoming mentors and using the benefit of their own career experience to guide their mentees. By sharing their success stories and offering
After a successful pilot year, the University looks forward to expanding the scheme to ensure that even more students can benefit from the wealth of experience our alumni volunteers have to offer.
Supporting our students
of London which goes back almost 200 years. Francis Ravenscroft was inspired by his father’s passionate belief in education and helping others to further themselves. Francis personally guaranteed the cost of developing new premises for Birkbeck College, one of the University of London’s independent member institutions, where he was Governor for half a century.
We are pleased that a number of students studying with our International Programmes have benefitted from significant donations made to the University of London. The University now has an annual programme of scholarship support funded by Ede & Ravenscroft who provide graduation gowns to graduands throughout the country. Ede & Ravenscroft have a long history of supporting education and a connection with the University 5
Your support in 2016/17
Ede & Ravenscroft are a significant philanthropic institution who support over 400 Higher Education institutions in the UK. We are thrilled that with our shared mission to support access to education they have agreed to support us again in the 2017/18 academic year. Your support in 2016/17
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A lasting legacy Gifts in wills have a significant and lasting impact on the University of London and make up a large proportion of our philanthropic income. Institute of Classical Studies Director, Professor Greg Woolf, reflects on a recent gift bequeathed to the Institute library from his esteemed colleague, John Casey (1935–2016).
Photo credit: Durham University Archaeology Department 6
Your support in 2016/17
John followed an unusual route into academic life. He was an assistant librarian at the Institute of Bankers when he first caught the archaeology bug, helping out at a rescue excavation in London. Four years of evening classes at the Institute of Archaeology (now part of UCL) and a year’s master’s degree at Cardiff led him to a post in the University of Durham in 1972 where he taught for his entire career, retiring in 2000. Always a Londoner at heart, he escaped to the big city whenever he could and retired here. John’s was a familiar face in the Institute’s library and also at conferences on Roman Britain. He had a deceptively angelic smile, and a wicked sense of humour. He was rather expert at deflating any lecturer who verged on the pompous, but it was always done with a sense of fun, and in a characteristically provocative way. He excavated Roman sites all over England and Wales and published widely, but his great love was the study of Roman coins. He pioneered archaeological approaches to coinage, showing how much economic and social history could be extracted from them. He was a devoted and inspiring teacher, who travelled with a small coin collection of his own.
I remember the thrill as an undergraduate when half way through a seminar John produced a Roman solidus (a gold coin of the later empire) and passed it around the room. He trained some of the leading coin specialists at work in the UK today. John did not tell us about the gift in advance, nor did he specify exactly how we should spend it, but of course we have many ideas. He left us his books as well as a tenth of his estate, so the Joint Library of the Hellenic and Roman Societies (the Combined Classics Library) benefits doubly. We already have a room dedicated to numismatics, the study of money including coins, which we shall name in his honour, and his collection will make that even more valuable for the researchers who travel here from all over the UK and beyond. The John Casey Fund will help us develop the library in new ways, extending our programme of digitisation, cataloguing our rare books, and providing some of the new equipment and services that 21st century readers need. I like to think he would be pleased to think of a new generation – his students’ students in fact – benefiting from his gift.
John Casey (middle back row) with students at the American Numismatic Society. Photo Credit: American Numismatic Society. 7
Your support in 2016/17
If you would like to find out more about making a gift in your will, please contact Lindsay Triggs (Regular Giving Manager) at development@london.ac.uk
The gift of time As the first British institute on continental Europe, the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) has a mission to connect the UK with the Francophone world by providing a hub for academic exchange and to enable its students to gain valuable international experience. As ULIP broadens its intellectual activity, there is a need to strengthen its position in Paris in terms of raising its profile in the French higher education context and its visibility and reputation in France. The Paris Advisory Group (PAG) was developed to support this mission and is made up of a group of 14 volunteers. We spoke to one member, Gary Rostron, to find out more about what inspired him to volunteer for the University of London.
What have you been up to since graduating from ULIP? I graduated from ULIP in 2002 and I’ve spent the last 15 years identifying and managing risks for businesses and people at the highest levels in the multinational corporate arena. I truly believe that the success I’m enjoying as a Global Risk Advisor Executive is a reflection of the thorough grounding I received as a ULIP student.
How did you become part of ULIP’s Paris Advisory Group? Through interesting discussions with ULIP’s CEO on the need to bridge the gap between the academic and corporate worlds. Part of the Advisory Group’s remit is to provide advice and guidance on improving links with the Paris business and educational communities to offer students and academics access into French professional life.
What is the most rewarding part of volunteering as a member of PAG? Without question: Giving back. Helping to identify opportunities to promote the ULIP unique value proposition for students and future employers. 8
Your support in 2016/17
Why did you decide to volunteer? The role seemed like the perfect fit for my skills: listening, persuasion and helping to get things done! I like people to be passionate about what they do, and I like to create an excitement that allows this. Meeting the staff and students of ULIP was very exciting as they share the same vision. I also like the dynamic vision and proposition of ULIP which allows students to reach beyond their potential and provides a life experience, not just in a classroom.
What would you say to others who are thinking about volunteering for the University? Think carefully about what value you can bring to students and to the University, whether that be ULIP, the School of Advanced Study or the University of London International Programmes and think hard about how you would like to be involved. Volunteering for the University of London is such a rewarding experience and one I can highly recommend.
As an alumnus of ULIP how important was it to you to maintain your connection with the Institute after graduation? Very important. ULIP was my life for three years from the age of 18. Going back to help, reconnecting with students and understanding the current challenges and business needs is a very grounding and rewarding experience.
Gary Rostron, ULIP volunteer
To find out more about volunteering opportunities at the University of London please contact Holly Peterson (Head of Constituency Engagement) at development@london.ac.uk
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Your support in 2016/17
Your support in 2016/17
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T.S. Eliot International Summer School In the summer of 2018, the T. S. Eliot International Summer School will celebrate its 10th anniversary when it convenes in the Institute of English Studies (part of the School of Advanced Study), Senate House. In the years since its founding, with the encouragement and support of the late Valerie Eliot (T.S. Eliot’s wife), the School has been attended by 450 students from 33 nations and is staffed by distinguished international scholars of Eliot and modern literature. The Summer School was inaugurated in 2009 and opened by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney. It had been envisaged as an integral part of the T. S. Eliot International Research Project, which drew its funding from the Eliot Foundation and the Arts and Humanities Research Council, to develop the production and publication of new editions of Eliot’s poetry, prose, plays, and letters. At the beginning of this new era of Eliot studies, the School’s mission is to welcome students to the unrestricted study of Eliot on the highest level of intellectual and critical inquiry, and yet it is far from being the reserve of academia. It welcomes participants from non-academic backgrounds — poets, artists, professionals, business people, teachers and citizens of literature who take delight in joining with students, faculty and the wider community of Eliot readers for an exhilarating literary-cultural experience.
Christopher Reid, Craig Raine, Stefan Collini, Alan Jenkins, and the current Oxford Professor of Poetry, Simon Armitage. Many have generously waived their fees in favour of student bursaries.
Each year, major poets, writers, and critics have lent their distinction and support by opening the School or giving readings from their work and Eliot’s, including in addition to Heaney, Sir Tom Stoppard, Professors Denis Donoghue, Paul Muldoon, Mark Ford, Sean O’Brien, Robin Robertson, Daljit Nagra, Robert Crawford, T.S. Eliot 10
Your support in 2016/17
The School has also enjoyed the support of the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation, which has brought distinguished English actors to read Eliot’s poetry, including Jeremy Irons, Anna Cartaret, Dominic West, Dame Eileen Atkins, Edward Fox, Ian McDiarmid, Mark Strong, and, most recently, Adrian Dunbar and Deborah Findlay. All such artists have not only donated their time, but have also brought in large audiences to these events, the profits from which are fed back into the Summer School. The Eliot Editorial Project, which is coordinating for the first time the editing of the poetry, plays, prose and correspondence of Eliot, has now produced the standard edition of The Poems, the two-volume Poems of T. S. Eliot, whose co-editor Sir Christopher Ricks has been a regular lecturer and inspirational scholar to students from the beginning. Now online are six volumes of The Complete Prose of T. S. Eliot, whose general editor Ronald Schuchard is co-founder (with Warwick Gould), director and annual lecturer of the T.S. Eliot International Summer School. There are now seven volumes of The Letters of T. S. Eliot, whose co-editor John Haffenden (with the late Valerie Eliot) is a generous presence at the School. Scholarly access to these volumes by students and lecturers has already had a tremendous impact on the resurgence and quality of Eliot studies. Numerous students have gone on to complete their higher degrees and are now teaching and researching Eliot in universities worldwide, including Beijing University, and six former students have returned by invitation to lecture as outstanding young scholars. The £600 tuition fee for the School includes the opening lecture and reception; coach trips to Little Gidding (a small village in Cambridgeshire and also the subject of the fourth and final poem of Eliot’s Four Quartets), where we share a joint programme with the T. S. Eliot Society of the UK, and Burnt Norton (a 17th century manor house in the Cotswolds and the name of the first poem of Eliot’s Four Quartets), where we are generously hosted by the Earl of Harrowby and given a history of the manor house and grounds. Whilst studying in London students receive 13 lectures and 5 afternoon seminars; 2 workshops on Eliot and digital research in the online prose editions; a visit to St. Stephen’s Church (where Eliot was church 11
Your support in 2016/17
“The impact that these contributions have in attracting bright, responsive talents is clearly evident from the quality of intellectual engagement consistently present during the Summer School.” Joseph Fritsch, 2017 Bursary recipient
“The Summer School is intellectually rigorous, but it is also lots of fun. Attending broadens your knowledge of Eliot’s life and work, while other aspects of the school – such as walking tours and poetry readings – offer an insight into literary London.” Suzannah V. Evans, 2017 Bursary recipient
warden for many years) and an instructional walking tour of Eliot’s London. The students are also treated to a variety of evening events, including a poetry reading and a reception at the London Library. All students of the Summer School are responsible for the cost of their high-season travel and lodging expenses, which for many make it impossible to attend without a full or partial bursary. To date, we have raised approximately 30 bursaries each year to award to outstanding students in need. A generous number are provided by the T. S. Eliot Foundation, the T. S. Eliot Society of the US, several universities, (including the English departments of Royal Holloway, Durham University, Emory University and the Johns Hopkins University Press), and a number of private donors. The Directors have also been donors, while some of the lecturers and tutors have very kindly waived their fees in support of further bursaries to the School. The time and expertise given by academics and actors alike, and the donations which fund the bursaries of many of our most talented students, play a crucial role in furthering the study of T.S. Eliot. We are sincerely grateful for all of the support the School receives and extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who have so generously given.
2017 T.S. Eliot International Summer School students and staff at Burnt Norton 12
Your support in 2016/17
Warwick Gould, Senior Research Fellow; Emeritus Professor and Founder-Director, Institute of English Studies.
Ronald Schuchard, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of English Studies; Professor Emeritus of Emory University.
To find out more about the T.S. Eliot International Summer School please visit ies.sas.ac.uk/ts-eliotinternational-summerschool
Our year in numbers attended by
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557
engagement events
alumni and friends
£12m of
donors to the University of London
philanthropic funds raised
£3208 claimed in Gift Aid
3118
alumni and friends directly engaged with
£4,930 of funding raised for book conservation
alumni communicated with by email
120000 followers on LinkedIn
philanthropically supported scholarships awarded
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Your support in 2016/17
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Final thoughts from... Bill Abraham, Director of Development First and foremost, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the University of London during the 2016/17 academic year. Whether through a generous donation or by sharing your precious time, your support helps to both strengthen the academic output of our institution and enrich the experience of our students here in the heart of London and around the world. Thank you. Three years ago I was tasked with establishing the University of London’s first Development Office, with the primary objectives of engaging the alumni of the University’s central academic bodies and raising money to support the University’s strategic mission. Simply put, we wanted to bring together all of our alumni and friends and provide them with a reason to continue to be engaged with us. We also wanted to raise philanthropic funds to help the University of London continue doing what it has always done: widen access to education around the world. 2016/17 has been our most successful year to date and I am so proud to see how far we have come, but we have a long way to go and we need your advice, support and encouragement. None of our achievements would be possible without people like you supporting us in whatever way you can. In this most recent academic year the University raised £1.2m, welcomed more than 500 people to our events at Senate House Library and around the world, and directly engaged with more than 3,000 of our friends and alumni. This doesn’t count the 40,000 alumni we communicated with by email or our 120,000 followers on LinkedIn. The impact of the support that has been given to us is wide and far reaching. There are students all around the world who are benefitting from philanthropically supported scholarships which enable them to 14
Your support in 2016/17
study for degrees they otherwise would not have been able to fund, there are books which hold huge cultural and historical value which are being conserved and returned to the shelves of Senate House Library and we are sharing the academic output of our staff at the nine renowned research institutes through our programme of public engagement and events. As we begin to make our mark on the 2017/18 academic year we are more ambitious than ever. We want to widen the pool of alumni and friends who are engaging with us, we want to provide scholarships and bursaries to more students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access higher education and we want to support the School of Advanced Study and our Institute in Paris to continue to strengthen their academic output. None of this would be possible without the support of people like you and I do hope we can count on you to continue to support us in whatever way you are able. On behalf of everyone who has benefitted from your support I would like to close by saying very sincerely, thank you.
Vice-Chancellor’s Circle The Vice-Chancellor’s Circle is an exclusive community of philanthropists who make substantial regular gifts to the University of London. These gifts enable us to continue to deliver our world class education and ensure education remains open to all. To find out more about supporting the Vice-Chancellor’s Circle and how we recognise our donors, please get in touch development@london.ac.uk alumni.london.ac.uk/give The Effect of Giving is published once a year and distributed to donors and volunteers in either hard copy or digital format. This publication is also available for download from the University of London website london.ac.uk. University of London is an exempt charity and statutory corporation in England and Wales (Company No RC000661)/ HMRC Charities Reference X422. Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Adrian Smith FRS
Address University of London, Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU T: +44 (0)20 7863 1340 E: development@london.ac.uk W: london.ac.uk/support
Editorial Team Lindsay Triggs Louise Fautley Holly Peterson Robert Kelly
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If you would like more information or to discuss how you could support the University of London, please contact us. Bill Abraham Director of Development Email: bill.abraham@london.ac.uk Holly Peterson Head of Constituency Engagement Email: holly.peterson@london.ac.uk Lisa Pierre Head of Alumni Liaison and Engagement, UoLIA Email: lisa.pierre@london.ac.uk Lindsay Triggs Regular Giving Manager Email: lindsay.triggs@london.ac.uk Telephone +44 (0) 20 7863 1340 Follow us on:
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This material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact lindsay.triggs@london.ac.uk
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