Cambridge secures record £190mn gift to launch elite school of government
Cambridge University has received its largest-ever donation—a £190mn pledge from hedge fund manager Chris Rokos. The gift will fund a new school of government, set to become a leading centre for political thought in Europe. Construction begins this autumn, with the first students expected soon after. The bulk of the donation, £130mn, will establish a school of government in Cambridge's West innovation district. An additional £60mn, matched by the university, will support its long-term operations. Rokos stated his aim was to 'give something back to Britain' while boosting the UK's global influence.
The new institution will specialise in the overlap between policy, technology, and science. Over its first decade, it plans to fund 80 to 100 PhD students annually. Cambridge hopes the school will rival Oxford's £10bn scientific institute, backed by Larry Ellison, and its 2019 £185mn donation from Stephen Schwarzman. Rokos's pledge surpasses the university's previous record—a £100mn gift from investor David Harding in 2019. Unlike Oxford's separate institute, Cambridge's school will remain fully integrated within the university.
The £190mn donation marks the largest single gift to any UK university. The school of government will open in Cambridge's innovation district, with PhD funding starting this autumn. Its focus on technology, science, and policy aims to strengthen the UK's academic and political standing in Europe.
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