By RICHARD DAWKINS
Updated: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:45:00 UTC

Its almost unique tutorial system makes Oxford arguably the best educational experience in the world. I was privileged to benefit from it – insofar as I had a making, Oxford was the making of me – but "privileged" is, I'm afraid, the operative word. Yesterday, Oxford announced "the biggest philanthropic gift for undergraduate financial support in European history" which will go a long way towards making this wonderful education available to able students from less privileged backgrounds.

The gift of 75 million pounds comes from the financier Michael Moritz and his novelist wife Harriet Heyman. Mr Moritz was inspired to give to Oxford by what he called "the kindness of strangers", a lovely phrase referring to the scholarship that enabled him – the son of a refugee from Nazi Germany – to enjoy an Oxford education. As the Independent puts it today, "For a new generation of scholars, that kindness has been passed on – with interest." That's putting it mildly.

Thank you, Mr Moritz.

Richard

TAGGED: EDUCATION, GENERAL INTEREST