FORMER students are donating thousands of pounds to help in research and teaching, plus the support of existing and future generations of university undergraduates.

Old boys and girls, many of whom have gone on to successful careers on leaving Durham University, are being asked to make donations to assist their alma mater.

A mini-call centre has been established to tap into the huge alumni pool of ex-Durham students around the world.

Current students staff the centre, in return for small payments, and work on a 30-strong rota, ringing their predecessors in a growing directory of Durham graduates.

Many graduates now lead varying careers across the globe, particularly in North America. A large proportion are happy to make donations to help the university.

Durham is not the only university tapping into its huge pool of former students to seek financial support to fund future projects, but few have mastered the art to such effect.

The university's well-drilled fundraising drive has been highlighted as a model to others in the Government's White Paper on the future of Higher Education.

Generous offers, including a single recent £10,000 donation, are flooding into the university through its latest annual Giving Programme, which is targeting 5,000 ex-Durham students. More than £80,000 has been pledged just past the half-way stage of the eight-week schedule. Much is ploughed into Durham's Student Opportunities Fund, which has already built up a £1.2m endowment, mostly contributed by alumni.

University vice-chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman said the White Paper outlines a radical shake-up of higher education and its funding.

He said: "It makes this telephone campaign even more vital to the future quality of our teaching and research and the overall student experience."

Scott Hayter, who oversees the fundraising efforts as director of the university's corporate development and communications, said the call centre volunteers were "excellent ambassadors".