Development

Raising funds for the Humanities

^{Triton Fountain outside the Radcliffe Humanities building (Oxford University Images/Rob Judges)}

Oxford is the world’s leading university for humanities teaching and research. The University’s scholarship in languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion and the arts – from the earliest civilisations to the present day – enriches our understanding of humankind, and informs how we engage with historic issues and contemporary concerns.

Through intensive undergraduate tutorials and postgraduate supervision by world-class experts, Oxford Humanities students benefit from a unique learning experience and excellent preparation for the leading roles which they go on to fulfil in society.

To ensure that the University of Oxford remains the world’s leading centre for the humanities, the Humanities Development team secures major philanthropic gifts for the 14 faculties and units within the Humanities Division:

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Classics
English Language and Literature
History
Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics
Medieval and Modern Languages
Music
Philosophy
Theology and Religion
Rothermere American Institute
Ruskin School of Art
TORCH – The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities
The Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities
Voltaire Foundation

The Team focuses on raising donations to:

Endow academic posts, particularly professorships, to advance research and teaching
Create new graduate scholarships to provide opportunities for future generations
Support capital projects to provide state-of-the-art facilities, including the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, due to open in 2025

The Humanities Development team works with a wide range of philanthropic individuals, corporates, trusts and foundations to strengthen the leading position of the Humanities at Oxford. It is part of the larger University of Oxford Development Office, which last year completed the £3.3 billion Oxford Thinking fundraising campaign.

Recent announcements and ongoing projects include:

The team welcomes opportunities to discuss philanthropic possibilities with potential donors and is happy to showcase Oxford’s activities and world-leading excellence. For more information, please contact humanities@devoff.ox.ac.uk or +44 (0)1865 611571).

_{Isabelle Riepe, pictured above, was the 2019-20 Lidl GB graduate scholar}

Leaving a legacy

Through the centuries, legacies and bequests have played a vital part in Oxford’s success. Many of Oxford’s colleges were founded through generous legacies and almost every part of the collegiate University has benefited from gifts in the wills of alumni, friends and supporters. A gift in your will can help support the Humanities as a whole or a particular faculty with which you have a particular affinity.

If you are considering leaving a gift to the University in your will, our Legacies and Projects Officer, Caroline Reynolds, will be pleased to talk to you about your wishes and intentions. We are unable to offer legal or financial advice, but we are happy to answer your questions about legacies in general.

For more information visit https://www.development.ox.ac.uk/legacies or contact caroline.reynolds@devoff.ox.ac.uk, +44 (0)1865 611520

Development

Raising funds for the Humanities

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