The CPUT Advancement Department is moving from strength to strength in its bid to increase fundraising revenue.

Hot on the heels of the unveiling of its “1st Decade of Prominence and Prosperity” campaign, the department has received a further boost to its coffers of almost half a million rand from the Kresge-Inyathelo joint initiative.

This multi-million rand initiative aims to support the long-term financial sustainability of higher education institutions in South Africa by enhancing fundraising and Advancement efforts.

Advancement Director, Milcho Damianov, says, “We feel not only privileged and proud to be the recipients of further funding from Kresge- Inyathelo, but obliged to continue the furious pace of development of Advancement here at the CPUT.

The latest grant, given to only three universities in South Africa, is not only recognition for our past efforts, but encouragement to take our operations to the next level.”

Damianov has lauded the very powerful role played by Inyathelo as mentor and strategic driver in bolstering Advancement practice in South Africa. A non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening civil society and higher education institutions, Inyathelo’s partnership with the US-based funders, the Kresge Foundation, has helped the CPUT increase fundraising revenue fourfold over the past five years.

“Now we need to roll-up our sleeves and exceed the expectations of our generous funders. This will undoubtedly enhance student access, improve graduation rates and help position CPUT as a world-class facility that embraces the cutting edge of technology.”

By Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT’s Advancement Department has unveiled its strategy to celebrate the university’s first decade as a merged institution.

Dynamic new director, Milcho Damianov has presented the department’s “box of goodies” to Vice-Chancellor Mazwi-Tanga and says he is confident that this blueprint will galvanise the entire CPUT community around the milestone in 2015 that marks ten years of excellence at the institution.

Dubbed the “First Decade of Prominence and Prosperity”, the campaign will be launched in March this year and built upon in the following three years. It will both celebrate the past decade and look confidently to the future – a future where all at CPUT will strive to Create, Prosper, Uplift and Thrive.

“The four words are derived from the acronym of our university - CPUT,” says Damianov.

“This massive friend-raising and fund-raising campaign will create new partnerships and develop sustainable competitive advantages for CPUT. We shall prosper by nurturing our students, and uplift the quality of resources, education, and most importantly, communities in the region. Finally, positioning CPUT as world-class university will undoubtedly enable us to thrive.”

By Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News
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Milcho Damianov has been appointed as the new Director of Advancement at CPUT.

A graduate of the prestigious International Fundraising School at Indiana University in the USA, Damianov also holds a post-graduate qualification in Marketing Management.

The Bulgarian-born director is equally adept at Corporate Communications, a discipline gleaned from his extensive work experience at tertiary institutions in Europe and Southern Africa.

His formidable skills were most recently pivotal to the success of the Uniswa Foundation, which spearheads advancement initiatives at the University of Swaziland. As the first CEO of the foundation, Damianov’s leadership and creative management style were instrumental in promoting the university as a positive, credible and worthy institution.

What followed was an influx of international donor aid, the establishment of public-private-partnerships, corporate social investment and private donations to Uniswa.

This, in turn, allowed the university to invest in the development of world-class facilities on campus such as sport centers and hostels, while scholarship programs ensure that the previously unattainable educational aspirations of thousands of students are made a reality.

And that, in a nutshell, is the essence of Advancement, says Damianov.

“Advancement is all about the empowerment of the dreams of others – making those dreams a reality. One of my roles is to align the activities of the Advancement office with the overall strategic undertakings of the university. I aim to do so by leading with innovation and creativity. “

Positioning CPUT as a world-class, socially responsive university that embraces the cutting-edge of technology is another of Damianov’s principal tasks, as is broadening the partnership networks of CPUT.

“This will be done while successfully retaining our special relationships with existing friends, partners, funders and alumni.”

By Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News
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