Which Universities and Disciplines are the Winners in Receiving Nearly 10 Billion Yuan Annually in Social Donations? (AI Translation)
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文｜财新 范俏佳
By Fan Qiaojia, Caixin
【财新网】慈善募资普遍遇冷，而高校单笔大额捐赠从千万向亿级跃升。多数大额捐赠项目由中央部属和省属公办高校接收，华北和华东高校接收学科建设类捐赠项目数量是西北和西南高校项目数量的超10倍，马太效应凸显。
[Caixin Online] Charitable fundraising is generally facing a downturn, while single large donations to universities have leapt from the tens of millions to billions. The majority of these large donations are received by public universities affiliated with central and provincial governments. Universities in North and East China receive more than ten times the number of academic development donations compared to those in Northwest and Southwest China, highlighting the Matthew effect.
明善道日前发布的《2023中国高校基金会大额捐赠观察报告》（下称“报告”）显示上述信息。该报告基于高校基金会年报等公开披露信息，统计到2022—2023年间国内高校基金会接收了471笔金额大于等于1000万元人民币的大额捐赠。
Information mentioned above was revealed in the "Report on Major Donations to Chinese University Foundations 2023" published by Mingshan Dao. The report, based on public disclosures such as university foundation annual reports, shows that between 2022 and 2023, university foundations in China received 471 donations each amounting to at least 10 million yuan.
报告显示，2022—2023年，高校基金会接收的大额捐赠项目总数和到账总额均出现下降，回落于新冠疫情前的水平。但2022年新发起的高校大额捐赠项目协议捐赠总额首次突破100亿元。单笔大额捐赠从千万向亿级跃升，“亿元”高校捐赠越来越频繁：自2019年以来，每年新发起的协议捐赠额1亿元及以上项目逐年上升，截止到2023年占比已达16%。
A report indicates that during 2022-2023, both the number of major donation projects received by university foundations and the total amount received declined, returning to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the total amount of pledged donations for newly initiated major university donation projects surpassed 10 billion yuan for the first time in 2022. Large single donations have jumped from tens of millions to billions, with "billion-yuan" university donations occurring with increasing frequency: Since 2019, new pledged donation amounts for projects of 100 million yuan and above have risen annually, reaching a proportion of 16% by 2023.
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- University donations in China have increased significantly, with large single donations surging from millions to billions, particularly benefiting centrally and provincially-affiliated public universities in North and East China.
- Major donors, mostly corporations and executives, constitute 52% of large-scale donations, while alumni contributions reached 41% in 2023, marking a significant source of funding for university foundations.
- The Matthew effect is evident, with top-tier universities receiving more funding than less privileged areas; the report suggests redistributing resources and revising matching policies to better support needed institutions.
The "Report on Major Donations to Chinese University Foundations 2023" by Mingshan Dao unveils trends and dynamics in charitable contributions to higher education institutions in China. Primarily, it highlights an increase in substantial single donations from tens of millions to billions, while overall charitable fundraising flag in a downturn. Public universities under both central and provincial governments receive a majority of these donations, with a pronounced regional disparity favoring North and East China over Northwest and Southwest China, demonstrating a Matthew Effect where advantages are amplified for already well-endowed institutions.[para. 1][para. 5]
Between 2022 and 2023, Chinese university foundations accepted 471 donations of at least 10 million yuan, but both the number of major donation projects and total amounts fell to pre-COVID-19 levels. However, pledged donations for new large-scale university projects hit 10 billion yuan in 2022, a first. The frequency of high-value "billion-yuan" donations has increased yearly since 2019.[para. 1][para. 5]
Corporations or entrepreneurs, particularly from publicly listed companies, emerged as significant contributors, involved in over half of large-scale projects in 2023, hitting a new record since 2015. Alumni also set a new record, making up 41% of large university donations in 2023. Such contributions predominantly concentrate among top-tier "Double First-Class" universities, with 17 institutions consistently benefitting from large contributions annually since 2015. These are mainly centrally-administered universities in eastern and central regions, with a focus on disciplines rather than infrastructure.[para. 1][para. 3][para. 4]
The primary allocation for large donations remains "academic development," establishing it as the leading focus since 2017, followed by "faculty development," "infrastructure development," and "scientific and educational innovation." Nearly 90% of these funds are directed to universities affiliated with Chinese central ministries, significantly benefitting those in North and East regions due to social donation matching policies, amplifying existing advantages.[para. 1][para. 3][para. 5][para. 6]
These policies incentivize substantial donations by providing matching funds starting from 100,000 yuan. However, a limited focus on specific schools over disciplines results in a concentration of resources in elite institutions, leaving others, including many in the western region, resource-poor despite the "Double First-Class" initiative.[para. 6][para. 7]
The report recommends shifting donation focus from prestigious schools to areas and institutions in more need with excellent programs, and reforming fiscal policy incentives to prioritize actual conditions like school, region, and donating experience. It further advocates for support in interdisciplinary or cross-regional initiatives as an efficient means of resource utilization and encourages the establishment of a hub or alliance for enhancing coordination between donors and schools.[para. 10][para. 11]
From 2015 to 2023, major discipline-building donations were directed primarily towards medicine, engineering, and interdisciplinary fields, with over 40% agreements exceeding 100 million yuan concentrated in just 10 universities. The post-2017 increase in interdisciplinary field support highlights emerging priorities in intelligent science and technology and area studies.[para. 11][para. 12]
In terms of donation types, stock and equity contributions have risen, offsetting a decrease in large endowment donations structured to preserve the principal, reflecting challenges with dwindling interest rates.[para. 16]
Overall, major donations are not fully integrating industry resources, limiting potential for innovative university-industry collaborations. Nevertheless, projects increasingly blend academic development with infrastructure, faculty, and student support, forming integrated "discipline development + X" portfolios.[para. 13][para. 14][para. 16]
- Mingshan Dao
- Mingshan Dao is an organization that released the "2023 China University Foundation Major Donation Observation Report," which provides insights into major donations received by university foundations in China between 2022 and 2023. The report analyzes donation trends, highlighting the dominance of public universities in receiving large donations, with a focus on academic construction as the primary use of funds.
- Xiaomi Charity Foundation
- The article mentions that the Xiaomi Charity Foundation recently engaged in a cross-university donation initiative. They provided donations to the National Natural Science Foundation, supporting young scholars across 100 universities in China. This demonstrates an effort to foster academic development and research across multiple institutions, rather than concentrating resources in one place.
- Xiaomi
- The article mentions that the Xiaomi Charity Foundation made a donation through the Xiaomi Young Scholars program to the National Natural Science Foundation, benefiting 100 universities nationwide. This is highlighted as an example of a cross-regional academic construction donation, aimed at boosting academic progress across multiple institutions.
- IDG
- IDG/McGovern made early contributions to interdisciplinary academic development, supporting brain science initiatives involving Beijing Normal University, Peking University, and Tsinghua University. Their efforts exemplify a cross-institutional approach to academic funding.
- 2015：
- Most universities included in the "Double First-Class" initiative from the western region have not received substantial donations.
- 2015-2023：
- 17 universities have annually received large donations of 10 million yuan or more through their foundations.
- 2017：
- Academic development surpassed infrastructure development as the primary focus for large university donations.
- 2017-2018：
- Interdisciplinary field donations increased threefold year-over-year in 2018 following the "Double First-Class" construction measures.
- 2019：
- Stock and equity donations have been on the rise; endowment donations to retain the principal have decreased from 22% to 5-6% by 2022-2023.
- 2022：
- The total amount of pledged donations for newly initiated major university donation projects surpassed 10 billion yuan for the first time.
- 2022-2023：
- University foundations in China received 471 donations, each amounting to at least 10 million yuan.
- 2023：
- Publicly listed companies or their executives accounted for more than half (52%) of large-scale donation projects, marking a new high since 2015.
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