The 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Oxford has secured matched funding for a $50 million (?32.6 million) donation in just one year despite the economic crisis.

Oxford alumnus James Martin, a computer scientist, promised $50 million to the university on the condition that it was matched by pledges from other sources.

A year later, having tapped 30 donors ¨C including charities, corporations and financiers such as George Soros and Adrian Beecroft ¨C for at least $1 million each, the university has hit its target.

Dr Martin¡¯s $50 million pledge is in addition to a $100 million donation he made in 2005, which was used to set up Oxford¡¯s James Martin 21st Century School.

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The latest tranche of money will pay for 19 new research projects at the school, which will aim to ¡°address the global problems and opportunities now facing humanity¡±.

Dr Martin said that the school had ¡°demonstrated that it can identify the most serious dangers and opportunities of our future¡±.

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Andrew Hamilton, Oxford¡¯s vice-chancellor, said: ¡°James Martin and the donors whose funding he has matched have placed their confidence in Oxford as the best place to tackle the global challenges of the 21st century.

¡°I am delighted that their vision and commitment will enable more collaborative and high-impact research to be developed across Oxford.¡±

melanie.newman@tsleducation.com