Universities inaugurate international seminar on raising funds for universities
Santo Domingo.- The rectors Miguel Escala, of Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and Justo Pedro Castellanos, from APEC University, inaugurated the third “International Seminar on Development and Relations with Graduates” that addresses the trends and mechanisms for attracting resources that allow the financial sustainability of academic institutions.
More than 70 representatives from 25 universities, colleges and academic institutions are meeting until Friday with Benito Ferreiras, rector of ISA University, former rectors of the University of Puerto Rico, Antonio García Padilla and Belén Jesuit Prep School (Miami ), Reverend Marcelino García, also former director of Colegio Loyola, in addition to Daniel Yoffe, representative of CASE Latin America, Dulce González, from the University of Monterrey (UDEM) and Arelis Rodríguez, from the Falcondo Foundation.
"The diploma can not be a divorce decree between the universities and their graduates and often works like this," said García Padilla, who presented the context of how more and more institutional development looks towards linking with companies and graduates and requires a internal work of institutional culture change.
He added that in Latin America the main obstacles to attracting additional funds to enroll are: the lack of a culture of asking (which precedes the lack of a culture of giving) plus the fact that the legal and legislative structure that does not favor donations to the academies.
Miguel Escala, from INTEC, explained that the percentage of income from donations in the funds of Dominican universities is very low, "much less than 5%," he estimated. "However, in the last three years there have been two important public donations to universities, such as RD $ 60 million for the construction of the Huáscar Rodríguez Herrera Technical Education Center at the ISA University, of the Huáscar Rodríguez Foundation, in Santiago, and the postgraduate building of INTEC, a donation of RD $ 12 million by the De Ramón Picazo family, "Escala said.
The seminar also has the coauspicio of the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), the Higher Institute of Agriculture (ISA), the Specialized Institute of Higher Studies Loyola, the Brugal Foundation, the Falcondo Foundation and the SISTEC company. It takes place during the June 3 at the Bonanza and Constanza lounges of the Meliá Santo Domingo Hotel.
Luis Molina Achécar, president of Banco BHD, with an outstanding track record in corporate social responsibility, Rissig Licha, president of 360 Satrategy Mix consultant with vast experience in strategic and political communication, José Luis De Ramón Picazo, principal partner of Grant Thornton in the Republic Dominican Republic and president of the Board of Regents of INTEC and Franklin Báez Brugal, president of Brugal and the foundation, and member of the Board of Regents of INTEC, as well as other international experts, share during these days their experiences on fundraising, responsibility social business, linkage and development strategies, graduates relationship and strategic communication in educational institutions.
The weekly, organized by the Directorate of Development and Graduates of INTEC, is held every two years from 2007.