Oxford Thinking passes £1.25 billion milestone
15 March 2012
The University of Oxford’s fundraising campaign, Oxford Thinking, has passed its initial target of £1.25 billion.
This is the fastest that such an amount has been raised in European university history: the milestone has been reached in under eight years, and despite a global economic downturn.
The total raised so far is £1,299,512,525 or just under £1.3 billion.
Fundraising began in May 2004, and the campaign had its formal, public launch in May 2008, at which time £575m had been raised. The campaign passed the one billion pounds mark in October 2010.
Gifts of all sizes have helped to change the face of Oxford’s landscape with award-winning new buildings, enhanced college facilities, funded new scholarship schemes and secured academic posts.
56% of the total has come as gifts to the central University and 40% of the total has come as gifts to colleges. The rest represents 3% pending legacies and 1% to the Rhodes Trust.
49% of the total has come from UK sources, and 51% has come from overseas, reflecting Oxford’s global reach and its impact all over the world.
Alumni have played a key role in the Campaign, contributing not only money but support and expertise. 16% of all alumni donated to Oxford in the last year – the highest participation rate of any UK university – and a third of all alumni have donated at some point.
However, many with no prior connection to Oxford contributed too. While 36% of the total came from Oxford alumni, 35% came from foundations and more than 23% was from supporters who had not been Oxford students – with examples including major gifts from Leonard Blavatnik and Mica Ertegun. Many donors want to make a difference in the world by tackling 21st-century issues and challenges, and see Oxford as the best place to achieve that.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Hamilton, said: ‘We are enormously grateful to all those who have supported the campaign and who are helping us to secure Oxford’s place as a world-class university for generations to come.
‘When Oxford embarked upon the planning for the campaign in 2004, our aim of raising a minimum of £1.25 billion seemed ambitious, and perhaps rather daunting. The fact that we have been able to pass this target in only seven and a half years is testament to the strength of support for Oxford University around the world.’
Planning is now underway for the next phase of the campaign.
For more information contact the press office, University of Oxford, 01865 280528, press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk.
More stats and multiple examples of gifts follow below.