EHU Trust Fund Donors’ Assembly Addresses Long-Term Sustainability and Donor Engagement
EHU Trust Fund Donors’ Assembly Addresses Long-Term Sustainability and Donor Engagement
The European Humanities University (EHU) Trust Fund Donors’ Assembly convened on April 19th to strategize on securing the university’s long-term sustainability and expanding donor engagement. Hosted by Central Project Management Agency, the assembly featured discussions on enhancing donor participation and ensuring the continuity of vital funding for the university’s activities.
Led by EHU’s Acting Rector, Dr. Vilius Šadauskas, and esteemed colleagues, the assembly reviewed the current status of the EHU Trust Fund, including an overview of committed donations and expenditures. Attendees were presented with the annual audited narrative and financial report of EHU’s direct grant agreement with the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA), detailing financing from the EHU Trust Fund.
The meeting also highlighted the progress made on the EHU Work Plan for 2023/2024 and outlined the activity-based financial requirements for the upcoming academic year 2024/2025. Furthermore, participants engaged in a candid dialogue regarding the operational challenges faced by EHU due to the political landscape in Belarus and the wider region.
Key topics discussed during the assembly included:
EHU’s Media Image and Communication Challenges: Participants explored strategies to enhance EHU’s visibility in the media and address communication obstacles.
Donor Coordination: Efforts to streamline donor coordination and optimize the utilization of resources from the EHU Trust Fund were deliberated upon.
Since 2022, the EHU Trust Fund has been overseen by the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA), leveraging its extensive experience in managing programs and projects funded by the European Union, international donors, and the Lithuanian State budget. The primary objective of the Fund is to consolidate donor support for EHU and ensure efficient and centralized management of financial resources.
Dr. Šadauskas emphasized the crucial role of donor support in sustaining EHU’s operations, stating, “The successful operation of EHU has, for some time now, hardly been possible without donor assistance. Tuition fees cover only a fraction of our costs, making it imperative to uphold independent education for Belarusian students based on European values.”
EHU enjoys support from diverse stakeholders, including the European Commission, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Nordic Council of Ministers, as well as the Governments of the Netherlands, Norway, France, Iceland, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. The university extends an invitation to businesses and private donors to join its supporters by contributing to the Trust Fund.