Investigating Philanthropy Initiatives in Chinese Higher Education

Chinese public education have long been considered to be part of the social safety net, but this safety net is no longer sufficient for today’s higher education needs. The recent worldwide economic recession, the increasing cost of operation of higher education, decreasing enrollments, and government budget cuts have prompted administrators to act aggressively. This study selected a public institution in Asia Pacific–Pacific region to assess its fundraising practice, strategy, and accountability. This university is one of the few institutions in the region that successfully initiated a fundraising practice. The study found that establishing an appropriately staffed professional fundraising office is an important step. Preferably, these officers should be hired from the business and non-academic sectors. Workshops and job training should be offered rigorously. The university must set a clear fundraising goal, and the fundraisers must possess strong marketing and communication skills, understand their products, academic needs, and be able construct social networks in Asia Pacific.