Giving to universities in the UK and Ireland reached an all-time high in 2022/23, latest figures show.
A report from the membership body the Council for Advancement and Support of Education found that giving to 92 higher education institutions reached a total of almost £1.4bn in the year to the end of July.
Case said the figure was the highest since it began publishing annual figures in 2008.
According to the report, almost three-quarters of funding comes from organisational support including trusts and foundations, companies and the National Lottery, with the remainder coming from individual donors.
It notes that the decline of “mass fundraising seems inexorable”, with the overall number of alumni donors continuing to reduce.
“Both the mean and median investment in alumni magazines are up yet again,” the report says, “suggesting that a surprise overall increase in alumni magazine investment results from investment by just a few large institutions that are bucking a general sector move towards digital rather than paper materials for alumni engagement.
“This shift, sadly, can risk disenfranchising the less digitally comfortable members of alumni populations.”
Sue Cunningham, president and chief executive of Case, said: “It is heartening to see such a significant level of philanthropic support for higher education in the UK and Ireland despite uncertain and challenging times.
“The ongoing fundraising successes in the region can be attributed to the thoughtful partnership between academic leaders, advancement professionals and philanthropists who share a common vision and passion for advancing education to transform lives and society.”