What is British Philanthropy?

March 23, 2011
One Great George Street, Westminster
London, United Kingdom
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. GMT

Live simulcast will be available via the CASE Europe and UUK website - details available soon

CASE Europe and Universities UK will present a national debate on the role of philanthropy in supporting higher education and the arts. With state support for higher education and the arts diminishing, the role of private contributions to Britain's universities and cultural organisations is increasingly significant.

Chaired by Joanna Motion, vice president for International Operations, CASE, the simulcast will include these confirmed speakers:

• Rory Brooks, co-founder, MML Capital Partners and Philanthropist; chair, Global Leadership Board, University of Manchester
• Eileen Gallagher, chief executive officer, Shed Productions
• Ron Gray, director of development and alumni relations, University of Loughborough
• Julia Peyton-Jones, director, Serpentine Gallery
• Professor Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor, University of Bristol; chair of the board of trustees, CASE Europe; and vice president, Universities UK
• Professor Lord Winston, professor of Science and Society, Imperial College London; chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University; chairman, The Royal College of Music and member of the Council, Surrey University

Many of this country's significant and much-loved institutions were founded by generous and far-sighted benefactors. The vision of sugar merchant Henry Tate, the Cadbury family and chemist Jesse Boots contributed to the establishment of institutions like TATE, and the universities of Birmingham and Nottingham. Schools, museums as well as universities across the country bear the nameplate of 800 years of philanthropy from Oxford's Bodleian library to University of East Anglia's Sainsbury's Centre for the Visual Arts.

Can we reinvent and broaden this ethos for the 21st century? This national debate, coinciding with the government's Green Paper on Giving, will explore what British-style philanthropy means today. Can we combine the legacy of the Victorian sense of 'noblesse oblige' with the vision of contemporary philanthropists such as JK Rowling, James Dyson and Jack Petchey for transformational projects?

Can higher education and the arts harness the passion and energy we see for the broad-based fundraising appeals such as Children in Need and Comic Relief, which prompt millions of Britons to give? How can we create a widespread culture which moves Britain from being a supporter of charities to one which embraces philanthropy? Are philanthropic values passed down in families or should this principle be taught in schools themselves? Can Britons become more generous with their time and money in times of austerity and less disposable income? What financial and other mechanisms can be introduced to incentivise giving?

The 2010 Coutts Million Pound Donor report indicated that higher education and the arts are the preferred cause of million pound donors in Britain, yet last year 163,000 people gave to UK universities. It's not just celebrities and entrepreneurs who have the capacity and inclination to be philanthropic. These ideals are rooted in a deeply British tradition of giving. This debate will explore these notions.

Invited attendees will include vice-chancellors and academic leaders; government, civil servants and policy makers; artistic directors and leaders in the arts; senior development professionals and fundraisers.

WEB REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS CLOSED. If you would like to attend, please contact Joyce Achampong on 0207 448 9940 or email eventseurope@case.org.

Find us on twitter @Case_Europe using hashtag #britphil