On 17 September, the Barcelona Campus hosted the second edition of Fundraising Pop Up Campus, an event organised by Fundraising.cat that brought together more than 180 fundraising professionals from non-profit organisations, foundations, associations and social-sector entities. The gathering, of which UIC was a partner institution, cast the spotlight on some of the sector's main challenges, including organisational sustainability, donor relations, innovation, artificial intelligence and expanding the membership base.

The event opened with an institutional welcome by Alfonso Méndiz, rector of UIC, and Sílvia Benaiges, president of Fundraising.cat. In his remarks, the Rector highlighted the strategic role of fundraising in organisations: “Fundraising is not simply about securing resources. When it is integrated into an organisation's strategy, it helps build trust-based relationships, mobilise society and create an impact that extends far beyond the funds raised.”

One of the day's key moments was the presentation of the first systematic study of the fundraising profession in Spain, commissioned by Fundraising.cat and conducted by the consultancy firm Thinkis based on responses from 263 professionals collected between May and July 2026. The findings show that the profession is predominantly female and highly qualified, while also identifying challenges related to workload, wellbeing and professional recognition.

Event participants included Michelle Benson, founder of Culture of Philanthropy and an internationally renowned fundraising professional, who delivered the keynote session “How To Use LinkedIn To Fundraise/Be Found”. The speech addressed the changes taking place in fundraising and the importance of building valuable and trusting relationships with donors.

The event also featured a range of specialised workshops covering topics such as bequests and legacies, audience segmentation and artificial intelligence, major donors, member recruitment, sports sponsorship, strategic partnerships, sustainability and technological innovation.

One of the highlights of the programme was the round table discussion “Lessons from the Trenches: Leading Fundraising when Readiness Is a Challenge”, sponsored by CASE Europe and moderated by Juan Pablo Garrido, director of Corporate Development at UIC. The session featured Luis Jover, from IESE Business School; Teppo Heiskanen, from Chalmers University of Technology; and Sandra Miranda, from the Josep Carreras Foundation, who analysed how an organisation's readiness and capacity can shape the development of an effective fundraising strategy.

Another notable workshop was “Sustainability Architectures: What Model Can Sustain Your Organisation?”, led by Franc Cortada, director-general of Oxfam Intermón, and Sílvia Benaiges. The session explored different funding models and the need for each organisation to tailor its structure and strategy to its specific needs and objectives.

UIC and its commitment to social impact

UIC's decision to host Fundraising Pop Up Campus reflects the University's commitment to generating social impact and bridging the gap between knowledge, society and the professional world. In this field, the University offers programmes such as the Master's Degree in Cooperation, Development and Social Economy, which prepares professionals to work in the fields of cooperation, development and the social economy.

The collaboration with Fundraising.cat strengthens UIC's commitment to creating spaces for dialogue and exchange between the University, social organisations and the professional world, fostering knowledge sharing and contributing solutions to the challenges of society.