$10 million donation to USyd’s Save Sight Institute for research

Australian entrepreneur Mr Sean Howard has pledged $10 million to establish the ‘Valerie Mary Howard Initiative’ to advance new research, outstanding patient care, and exceptional teaching and learning facilities at the University of Sydney’s Save Sight Institute.
The donation is one of three gifts totalling $16 million to the university announced the same day it publicly launched a major fundraising campaign.
The three major gifts totalling $16 million underline the importance of philanthropy to the future of Australian universities, the university said.
‘Inspired’ – the campaign to support the university, is its first comprehensive fund-raising campaign and the biggest fundraising drive of its kind in Australian higher education.
In January 2008, the university barked on the quiet phase of its campaign to raise $600 million from more than 40,000 donors over the coming decade.
Thanks to the generosity of more than 28,000 supporters, the campaign has already raised more than $300 million to advance the standards of tertiary education, research and innovation.