51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Our brand new Impact of Giving Report is live, showing the extraordinary impact philanthropy had on our community between August 2024 and July 2025.

Around 3,600 individuals and organisations generously donated to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø during this period, raising a total of £77.5 million towards advancing education, fostering innovation and supporting world-leading research.

On behalf of the entire 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community, I extend my deepest thanks to everyone who supported 51³Ô¹ÏÍø during this period. Presofessor Hugh Brady President of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Thanks to our supporters, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø remains a place where we don’t just empower the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of now.

From alleviating the financial burden of academic study to enabling our exceptional academics to strive toward groundbreaking discoveries, the impact of philanthropy extends far beyond our campus, influencing the scientific community and our wider society.

Nurturing talent and innovation through philanthropy

More than £38 million was donated towards research, and in the report you’ll hear from expert researchers using philanthropy to tackle the biggest challenges facing humanity. This includes Euodia Dodd, a PhD Researcher and Wendy Tan White and Joe White Scholar, and Shamsuddeen Muhammad, a Google DeepMind Academic Fellow, both of whom are developing and championing thoughtful AI technologies.

Also featured are postgraduate students Maya Thabal Herron and Olha Velichkovska, who are using design thinking, engineering and innovation to bridge the gap between fashion and sustainability.

Maya, who was awarded a scholarship from an anonymous donor to carry out her PhD, says: “My scholarship has given me the freedom to lead my own research and explore a novel area without restriction, allowing me to mould my research into something I’m genuinely excited about. For that, I’m grateful.”

I’ve seen first-hand how outreach can open doors to possibilities I would otherwise not know about, so I want to play my part in encouraging young minds in this space. Sean Miles Bursary recipient and Materials Science and Engineering undergraduate

Donors are also opening paths for talented students all over the world to reach their potential at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, giving £8.5 million to scholarships, student support and prizes. This includes Sean, a bursary recipient and Materials Science and Engineering undergraduate who, alongside his studies, has immersed himself in 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s outreach activities to support and inspire other students.

Speaking about why he chooses to support other students, Sean says: "I’ve seen first-hand how outreach can open doors to possibilities I would otherwise not know about, so I want to play my part in encouraging young minds in this space. I’m also very inspired by my professor Dr Eleonora D’Elia. Her work to make the field more accessible, especially for underrepresented communities, encourages me to play a part."

Meanwhile, Thermo Fisher Scholar and Biological Sciences undergraduate Ivy Gao has been embracing 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s hands-on learning opportunities by taking on a hospital internship and industry work shadowing scheme.

"My scholarship has encouraged me to make the most of being at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the special opportunity I’ve been given," says Ivy. "Without it, I almost certainly wouldn’t be where I am now."

Honouring our alumni community

Over 80% of donors in this period were alumni, a group that continues to demonstrate their commitment to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø long after graduation. In the report we hear from alumnus John Sherwood (Physics 1953, PhD 1956), who is 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s longest-standing donor. Since his first gift in 1990, he has continuously donated to the university, providing opportunities for students and staff to follow their passion and purpose.

"I give back to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø out of pure appreciation for all that my time there has unlocked for me," says John. "It’s gratifying to see the impact donations have in helping students who struggle financially, as I once did, to realise their dreams by studying at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø."

And as well as financial support, we are also privileged to receive their support in other ways, including through volunteering, student outreach and engagement, taking part in various initiatives including mentoring, committee membership and international recruitment.

Professor Hugh Brady, President of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, says: "51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s founding mission – as I never get tired of saying – is to be useful. And it is still what drives us today. Our supporters enable us to realise our mission, by creating opportunities for scientific imagination and discovery to be nurtured. On behalf of the entire 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community, I extend my deepest thanks to everyone who supported 51³Ô¹ÏÍø during this period."

Read the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 2024–25 Impact of Giving Report.