Giving Forward with Edinburgh

Chris Cox looks ahead at how the University can help make a positive impact on the world, through the role of giving and philanthropy.

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Chris Cox
Photo: Sam Sills / Whitedog Photography

These articles allow the campus community to say thank you for your support of the University and its students.

If you studied or taught at Edinburgh, your motivations for that support may include an element of ‘giving back’, influenced by recollections or gratitude. For the avoidance of doubt, giving back is always to be cherished, but it’s perhaps also time to introduce language which brings to the fore the impact your giving has on the future of society, as we look ahead together, based on the strong foundations of a shared past.

Universities such as Edinburgh are stable, long-term ‘anchor’ institutions within the local and global economy. That brings with it a heavy responsibility; Edinburgh has a pivotal role to play as an agent for positive future change in an unsettled and troubled world, whether it is through the impact of each graduating student on the communities they go on to serve and lead, or our research and policy programmes to address local and global issues in partnership with others.

The role of giving and philanthropy in accelerating, deepening and enhancing those deep-seated and lasting impacts has never been more important.

To give just three examples, in the following pages we summarise how your support is helping the University to respond to the world’s health challenges, how a scholarship scheme is providing extraordinary new opportunities for students from Africa, and how Edinburgh student and graduate entrepreneurs are fuelling the Scottish economy and supporting communities through social enterprise.

I hope you’ll continue and deepen your support on the basis that you look ahead alongside our students and researchers, and co-invest with the University to help them make a positive impact on the world.

So when you next feel moved to putting pen to paper with us again, I hope you’ll do so on the basis not just of giving back to Edinburgh, but also of giving forward with us.

Thank you again for your far-sighted support. It is enormously appreciated.

Edinburgh has a pivotal role to play as an agent for positive future change in an unsettled and troubled world.

Chris Cox

 

Chris Cox

Vice-Principal Philanthropy and Advancement and Executive Director of Development and Alumni