University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) Integrated Advancement, International

Navigating international challenges, using transformational integrated advancement

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) hired its inaugural Director of Development, Christina Harcus, just as the Covid-19 pandemic was unfolding. Relatively new to fundraising, the institution was approaching its 20th anniversary, and had ambitious plans to develop the campus and raise brand awareness. They needed to know more about their alumni, donors and potential donors, and better understand the role that philanthropy could play in realising its goals.

They’d already identified the alumni and potential donors that they most wanted to engage with, held an internal review with the management board, and were finalising their brand proposition.

To engage with their stakeholders on a more meaningful level, they sought a strategic partner with clarity, energy and a proven record of successful international fundraising experience. Cairney & Co was selected for our unique approach to integrated advancement - building reputation, relationships and revenue, and maximising the power of fundraising and philanthropy.

Overcoming global challenges

UNNC was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China, run by the University of Nottingham in partnership with Zhejiang Wanli Education Group under the principle of ‘one university with campuses in three countries’. There are many benefits to this arrangement, but we had to navigate the challenges around the complexities that this global model presented - compounded by the fact that we were working entirely remotely due to the pandemic.

Data sharing between Nottingham in the UK and China was challenging. We also needed to work across three distinct campuses (Malaysia, China and the UK), bearing in mind cultural sensitivities to address the global potential for alumni engagement and philanthropy for the entire Nottingham community.

The Cairney & Co approach

We drafted the case for support, setting out the University of Nottingham’s global aspirations, development plans for UNNC’s campus with information on how stakeholders could support them, and details on how UNNC planned to engage with its alumni.

We then scheduled one-to-one meetings with their key alumni and donors. Using the case as a tool to spark conversation, we sought their strategic input on future plans and tested their perceptions of the institution. We also circulated a survey to 18,000 alumni to further market-test the case for support.

Our findings

Analysis of these conversations and survey answers showed us an overwhelmingly high proportion of alumni wanted to feel valued and respected by UNNC to help them build their personal brand and progress their careers. There was a strong willingness to both engage with and give to the institution, and understanding these alumni motivations gave UNNC the depth of insight it needed to forge ahead with its strategic plans.

Combining our internal consulting team with our Strategic Delivery Partners, we undertook prospect research, benchmarking and provided strategic counsel to the Director of Development. Our Strategic Partner Michael Lavery of Brand and Reputation performed a thorough competitive analysis, revealing that students valued being able to stay in China while benefitting from everything a UK degree from the University of Nottingham had to offer. Not only was this information useful in informing how integrated advancement could support UNNC’s ambitions, but it was also valuable insight for the Marketing & Comms team, and the Knowledge Exchange team too.

The outcome

At Cairney & Co, our work goes far beyond transactional consultancy to deliver transformational results for our clients. UNNC now has more confidence to present its brand to the world, and can move forward intentionally with its alumni outreach and fundraising work with a clearer idea of what its alumni and donors need to stay engaged.

Thanks to our international approach, the warm relationships we’ve built and our existing knowledge of UNNC, our work with the University of Nottingham then led to another project with its UK office to identify the optimal model for working in Asia.

Our client’s view:

“This has been a comprehensive process and Cairney & Co has been by our side as a critical friend - providing challenge and support while listening to our needs. The team brings a wealth of experience from across the globe and their input has been of immense value to me and my team.” - Christina Harcus, Director of Development & Alumni Relations (now Former), UNNC