University of Warwick launches "Set the Pace" campaign to raise £250m to tackle global challenges
Rooted in Warwick's bold, unconventional spirit, Set the Pace aims to raise an initial £250 million and generate 20,000 acts of volunteering by 2030, motivating the global Warwick community to drive positive change.
The campaign has people at its heart. Set the Pace will help invest in people – the researchers, students, and practitioners – who will shape the future across defining global challenges and the Warwick Student Experience:
Peace Making – developing practical, people‑centred approaches to conflict resolution at a time when misinformation and geopolitical instability are undermining traditional diplomacy.
Health Equity – transforming women's healthcare and tackling escalating threats such as antimicrobial resistance and future pandemics, ensuring that breakthroughs benefit communities worldwide.
Novel Energy – driving the transition to net zero through innovations in battery chemistry, sustainable materials and manufacturing technologies, and a future-ready workforce that addresses skills shortages.
Critical Arts – widening access to culture and equipping the next generation of artists, heritage leaders, and creative technologists to strengthen civic life, bring human connection, and create a new generation of critical thinkers.
Fair and Sustainable Business – rebalancing gender representation in economics, enhancing financial inclusion, and counteracting fraud to protect livelihoods.
The Warwick Student Experience – harnessing talent wherever it exists with one of the UK's most ambitious access and participation strategies. We will break down barriers to education from primary to professor to ensure students from all backgrounds can thrive academically, creatively, and personally.
At today's celebration, Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick, is expected to say: "Across our 60 years, Warwick has never been afraid to challenge convention. Our restless spirit means we outpace older, more established institutions through innovation, world-leading research, and outstanding teaching.
"Warwick is poised to deepen its global impact, widen participation, and unlock our research potential to help overcome these major challenges.
"Warwick was built on a foundation of philanthropy, and today, Set the Pace marks the next defining moment in our story, accelerating our ambition to point the way ahead, so that together we can make a better world."
Maya Prabhu, independent member of Council and lead for philanthropy, added: "Philanthropy gives Warwick the freedom to move faster, reach further, and take bold action. Behind every breakthrough stands the vision of those who support us. Set the Pace invites every member of our global community to stand with Warwick at a critical moment and help drive lasting global change."
Recent major gifts, including Tim Hartnoll's £10 million donation to launch the new Hartnoll Centre for Experimental Fuel Technologies, signal Warwick's ability to turn generosity into far‑reaching public benefit.
Set the Pace is now live. To learn more and to participate, visit our dedicated website.
