Public consultation launched on philanthropic funding of universities
The European Commission is inviting universities to complete an online questionnaire on the funding they receive from philanthropic donors. In January, the Commission set up an expert group to investigate how universities could raise more funds for research from sources such as foundations, trusts, charities, corporate and private donors and alumni. The questionnaire will aim to gather more information about the relationship between European universities and their philanthropic donors. It is divided into three sections: - general information about the institution; - data concerning philanthropic funding in general and, specifically, data concerning the role of philanthropic funds to support research; - reasons for not seeking or allocating funds for research from philanthropic sources. Mobilising all possible sources of funding is considered vital if the EU is to achieve its goal of spending 3% of GDP on research. Philanthropy is already a major source of funding for research in some European countries. In the UK and Sweden over 16% of university research and development (R&D) expenditure comes from philanthropic grants, but elsewhere in the EU the average figure for philanthropic support stands at just 4.2%.