Newcastle students rang former students to raise money for future students

Newcastle University raised �250,000 from its graduates, with the aim of using the funds to support less well-off students.

This type of alumni fundraising is how many universities in the United States provide grants and bursaries.

And it could suggest the direction of other universities, as they set up support systems for higher fees.

Higher charges

Under proposals in the Higher Education Bill narrowly accepted by MPs on Tuesday, from 2006 students will be charged up to �3,000 per year in tuition fees.

And in response, a series of universities have announced bursary schemes for less well-off students to offset the higher charges.

Newcastle University's scheme raised money through a "Phonathon", in which current students rang up former students to ask for a contribution to the alumni fund.

Much of the fund, raised over eight weeks, will be divided into �2,000 grants which will be given to local youngsters who become students at the university and who need financial support.

"Most of our graduates have successful careers and they are obviously keen to see talented young people enjoy the same opportunities as they have, no matter what their background," said Joanna Stewart of the university's alumni office.

Targets

The culture of graduates giving money to their former university has so far been on a relatively modest scale in the United Kingdom, compared with the large amounts collected each year by universities in the United States from their alumni and other donors.

These fundraising drives, often to pay into funds for means-tested scholarships and grants, raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the most prestigious universities.

Universities make their ambitions for collecting money from alumni very clear - with targets for fundraising levels expected from year groups published on websites.

Last term, Harvard Law School announced that former students would be asked to help reach a fundraising target of $400m - and a Harvard biomedical research institute received a pledge for $100m in an individual donation.

Students at the university can apply for financial support with fees and costs - with an average scholarship of over $23,000.