29 Oct 10

A student at the Mathematical Institute shows their idea of a billion pounds.

Oxford University’s international fundraising campaign has reached the milestone of one billion pounds in record time and despite the global financial crisis.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton called the generosity of donors “Oxford’s lifeline” in a time of reduced government funding.

“For almost half of the six years that Oxford has been raising funds for the Campaign, the world has been in an economic downturn – yet our alumni and supporters have continued to give. Their generosity is Oxford’s lifeline and its future at a time when government funding is so stretched,” he said.

“It is clear from the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Browne Review recommendations that, under any future funding regime, Oxford is going to have to do all it can to find additional resources,” he continued.

“Philanthropy has a key role in this endeavour. Though we are well on the way to achieving our initial goal of £1.25 billion, it is very clear that the extraordinary generosity of our donors will become even more important in future.”

As the Campaign passes the £1 billion mark, Dame Vivien Duffield, the Chairman of Oxford Thinking since the official launch in May 2008, has decided to step down.

Professor Hamilton said: “We would not be at this landmark point without the extraordinary talents of Dame Vivien Duffield: she has helped bring Oxford Thinking very far, and very fast. We thank her enormously for the time and remarkable energy she has brought to this Campaign.”