£59 million was donated to Imperial during 2022/23, marking an increase in yearly donations for the third year in a row.

New figures released by the College’s Advancement Division have revealed that more than 3,800 individuals and organisations donated to Imperial during the 2022/23 financial year, raising a total of £59 million for academic posts, student support, groundbreaking research and campus facilities, highlighting how giving to Imperial continues to grow with more donors participating.

A number of major research initiatives have been enabled through philanthropic support, such as the programme of PhD Fellowships funded by philanthropic initiative Schmidt Futures. These Fellowships are accelerating the next scientific revolution by applying AI to research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Fellowships are embedded in the College’s I-X initiative, which is bringing academia and industry together to use machine learning to tackle the world’s greatest challenges.

A joint £6 million gift from Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and global philanthropic organisation Community Jameel funded the launch of The Jameel Institute-Kenneth C. Griffin Initiative for the Economics of Pandemic Preparedness. This initiative is using pioneering integrated economic-epidemiological modelling to provide critical data and analysis to inform public health decisions related to pandemic preparedness and disease outbreaks around the world.

Removing barriers for talented students

Philanthropic support also provided new opportunities for students, with more than £12 million donated to support scholarships and student support. A £1 million gift for the Department of Chemistry was generously donated from the Wilkinson Charitable Foundation, in honour of alumnus Professor Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson. And Formula 1 gave a gift to fund three scholarships for female students and students from minority ethnic backgrounds, helping to improve diversity and opportunities in motorsport. The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships will be in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and will help nurture the next generation of engineers and technicians in the sport.

“It makes me proud to see the generosity of our community and their willingness to support the College.” Michael Murphy Vice-President (Advancement)

Donations to student support have also helped to provide financial assistance for students experiencing hardship, the number of whom increased as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

Civil and Environmental Engineering student Matthew was one of many students able to access much needed financial support during his PhD studies, after an unexpected crisis left him vulnerable: “During my studies I became really unwell, requiring treatment that was costly. Thankfully, I received financial support from Imperial to cover it, which came from philanthropic donations. That treatment helped me to recover quickly and continue my PhD studies; without it I would not have been able to continue at Imperial. I am so thankful to everyone who donated, and I know many students who, like me, will be so grateful to receive support when they face something unexpected.”

Recognising those who support Imperial

Of the £10.2m donated from individuals, an impressive £7.6m came from alumni, reflecting the generosity of this community and their continued investment in the College. Alumni’s support and generosity were integral to the success of Regular Giving’s Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023 telethon campaigns, with 400 alumni donors raising over £200,000.

Alumni also donated their time and skills to Imperial, and we benefited from the support of over 1,200 alumni volunteers in areas such as student mentoring, peer-to-peer support, international recruitment and committee placements.

Michael Murphy, Vice President (Advancement) says: “It makes me proud to see the generosity of our community and their willingness to support the College. It speaks volumes that this year our number of donors increased, and it’s no surprise that this has been led by our strong network of alumni, who continue to embody the Imperial spirit long after graduating.  

“Thanks to philanthropic support, we continue to lead innovative and ambitious research initiatives and offer a path to education for the brightest students around the world in spite of economic challenges.”

We were able to celebrate the significance of philanthropy to our students, researchers and the wider world with an event to launch the Circle of Benefactors, which celebrates Imperial’s most generous donors and recognises the integral role that philanthropy plays in Imperial’s mission to achieve enduring excellence in research and education for the benefit of society.

As part of the Circle of Benefactors’ launch, a new donor installation was unveiled in the College’s main entrance on Exhibition Road, which bears the names of the members of the Circle and publicly acknowledges their support.