The University of Sydney has received its largest philanthropic donation to date with A$100 million from billionaire Robin Khuda to encourage young girls to study STEM.
Khuda’s donation also makes the University of Sydney the largest beneficiary of philanthropy in New South Wales.
Khuda is the founder and CEO of AirTrunk, Asia-Pacific and Japan’s leading hyperscale data centre provider, enabling the growth of cloud and AI in the region.
In a media release by the University of Sydney, Khuda said after founding AirTrunk, he wants to give back and make a positive societal impact.
“I chose to work with the University of Sydney on this program because of our shared commitment to contributing to the growth of Western Sydney and the need to address gender inequality,” he said.
‘A leader in STEM education, the University has an outstanding academic, research and teaching reputation and the flexibility and agility to deliver and evolve this program.”
The donation was made on behalf of the Khuda Family Foundation and will fund a 20-year program that will begin in year 7, including three stages that will include tutoring, mentoring and university scholarships.
This program builds upon the university’s 70-year history of engagement with Western Sydney including at Westmead since 1978, investing over $85 million into the precinct.
University of Syndey Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott said this will help the university continue their mission to boost women in STEM and achieve gender equity in workplaces.
“This donation aligns with the University of Sydney’s 2032 Strategy of continuing to work with communities in Western Sydney by expanding our educational offering and impact,” he said.
“The region is a hub of economic and educational opportunity that can drive the nation forward, and this partnership ensures our ability to grow our contribution there while guaranteeing a greater diversity of students can succeed at the University.”
Philanthropy is a large source of revenue for universities to fund their services, accounting for about $800 million every year, but is often concentrated among the elites.
In 2019, the University of Sydney reached its goal of $1 billion in donations over a decade with contributions from more than 64,000 donors from seven continents.
It was the only university in NSW to report a surplus in the most recent reporting period. In 2021, they recorded the highest revenue of $3.5 billion with a surplus of $1 billion.
Over the lifetime of the new program, the University of Sydney aims to graduate a collective of around 300 women.