Imperial College London, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, said it aims to cap a 10-year fund-raising drive in July 2010 with a target of £207 million in alumni and charitable donations.
The college, which is breaking away from the University of London in July of this year to become an independent institution, said it hs already since 2000 raised £123 million of the total. Donations include £1.25 million from alumnus David Potter, founder of handheld computer company Psion, and £2 million from a charity of alumnus Richard Lee, director of Textile Alliance Ltd.,
Of the total funds targeted, it said, £27 million is slated for student support, £115 million for campus renwal, and £65 million for academic activities. Specific projects include a redevelopment of its general-purpose Union Building, and transformation of the Central Library into what it calls "a high-tech space" with 24-hour computing and wireless facilities.
The announcement came as Imperial launched on 30 January a programme of centenary celebrations. The college was founded in 1907 by the merger of the former Royal College of Science, the City and Guilds College, and the Royal School of Mines. Since then, it has been a member of the 125,000-student University of London system, which also includes University College London, King's College London, the Royal Academy of Music and the London School of Economics. Last December, however, Imperial announced it had agreed on terms to split from the system.
The extended fund-raising drive, said Rector Sir Richard Sykes in a statement, "is a critical part of maintaining Imperial's ability to be master of its own destiny."
The college, which is breaking away from the University of London in July of this year to become an independent institution, said it hs already since 2000 raised £123 million of the total. Donations include £1.25 million from alumnus David Potter, founder of handheld computer company Psion, and £2 million from a charity of alumnus Richard Lee, director of Textile Alliance Ltd.,
Of the total funds targeted, it said, £27 million is slated for student support, £115 million for campus renwal, and £65 million for academic activities. Specific projects include a redevelopment of its general-purpose Union Building, and transformation of the Central Library into what it calls "a high-tech space" with 24-hour computing and wireless facilities.
The announcement came as Imperial launched on 30 January a programme of centenary celebrations. The college was founded in 1907 by the merger of the former Royal College of Science, the City and Guilds College, and the Royal School of Mines. Since then, it has been a member of the 125,000-student University of London system, which also includes University College London, King's College London, the Royal Academy of Music and the London School of Economics. Last December, however, Imperial announced it had agreed on terms to split from the system.
The extended fund-raising drive, said Rector Sir Richard Sykes in a statement, "is a critical part of maintaining Imperial's ability to be master of its own destiny."
Receive the Funding Newswire [full access requires a subscription] each Tuesday, our Policy Bulletin each Thursday, and news about bridging Europe’s east-west innovation gap twice a month in The Widening. 
A unique international forum for public research organisations and companies to connect their external engagement with strategic interests around their R&D system.