In February, the University announced David and Claudia Harding’s unprecedented £100 million gift to help attract the most talented postgraduate and undergraduate students, from the UK and around the world. David, together with University Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen J Toope and Sir Mark Welland, Master of St Catharine’s College, met 25 students from 14 countries.
The students are studying subjects in 17 University Faculties and Departments, at 14 Colleges. Their PhD research topics include cancer therapy, quantum gravity, street crime, and homelessness.
The Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme - funded by the David and Claudia Harding Foundation - will ultimately fully fund, in perpetuity, more than 100 PhD students in residence across the University at any one time. Scholarships are available to the most talented students for research in any discipline.
St Catharine’s, of which David Harding is an alumnus, received £25 million of the gift to support postgraduate scholars on the Programme at the College.
Undergraduates are also benefiting from the donation. In collaboration between the University and the Colleges, The Harding Collegiate Cambridge Challenge Fund, worth £20 million, aims to encourage further donations from alumni for financial support to undergraduates. A further £1 million is set aside to stimulate innovative approaches to attracting undergraduate students from under-represented groups.
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge