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The Oxford Thinking Campaign

2004–2019

We are delighted to announce the end of the Oxford Thinking Campaign, which has raised £3.3 billion since 2004. The generosity of our donors is helping us to enrich lives through the provision of scholarships, new teaching and research programmes, cutting-edge facilities, access initiatives, public engagement, cultural collections and much more. Read on to discover more about the impact that these donations are having at Oxford, and beyond.

£3.3 billion

raised

170,000+

donors

Research

Finding innovative ways to address some of our biggest challenges.

Plant Scientists at Wytham Woods

Improving the circumstances of young people facing disadvantage.

Young children at a school in Peru

Regenerative Medicine

Transforming our understanding of common health conditions.

Photo of Professor Georg Hollander

Smart Handpumps

Providing rural communities with more reliable access to water.

Women using Smart Handpump

£722 million

raised for research programmes and activities*

1 lion

that led to over $1 million for lion conservation research

200+ academics

collaborating at the
Oxford Martin School

Buildings

Building the library of the future

Thanks to donor support, an unloved historic building has been transformed into a 21st-century research facility and visitor space.

Researcher in Noble Lab

Buildings

Making a commitment to excellence

Support from the Wolfson Foundation is helping to shape the life and work of the University.

Wolfson Academic Wing

Buildings

Enhancing graduate education

A new academic wing has dramatically improved the resources and space available to students at Wolfson College.

£434 million

raised for buildings, infrastructure and equipment*

40%

of the University's estate built
or improved since 2000

Student support

Hong Kong scholars

Changing lives with The D. H. Chen Foundation Scholarships.

Queenie Li

Ertegun scholarships

Supporting graduate students for the betterment of humanity.

Ertegun scholars David Bell and Debbie Chow in the garden of Ertegun House

Graduate matched fund

Providing support for 750 graduate students since 2012.

Stephanie Ifayemi

Indian scholars

Effecting change at the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development.

Vandita Khanna and Safa Fainian at the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development

100 graduate scholarship schemes

endowed through the Oxford Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund Scheme

1 in 4 UK undergraduates

receives a bursary

£24 million

raised for sport*

Marie-Ann Harvey

Outreach

A passion for access

Undergraduate student Marie-Ann Harvey shares her journey from state school to studying Jurisprudence at Wadham College.

UNIQ participants visit the Ashmolean Museum

Outreach

Realising academic potential

Oxford’s work with students and teachers is expanding every year, thanks to the generosity of donors.

8600+ participants

in the UNIQ spring and summer schools

51 'big questions'

published on the Oxplore website

Gardens, libraries and museums

Fostering intercultural understanding through museum collections.

Researcher with astrolabe

Improving access to the Bodleian's historic map collection.

Thomas Sharp map of Oxford

Using collections to inform and inspire a wide range of audiences.

Children at museum

Ashmolean for all

Improving accessibility for older people at the Ashmolean Museum.

Visitors at museum

£270 million+

raised for gardens, libraries and museums

Visitor numbers

have doubled during the campaign

114 exhibitions

and displays at the
Weston Library

100% increase

in display space at the Ashmolean Museum

Siân Pooley

Teaching

Securing the future of learning

The tutorial system provides students with a rare level of personalised attention from world-leading academics.

75 teaching posts

endowed through the Teaching Fund

Read the full report

Download a printable PDF below.

Support Oxford

Philanthropy makes a significant difference to what we are able to achieve across Oxford – for students, for academics and for the world at large.

*University only