Tech founder Robin Khuda wants to make ‘positive societal impact’ by increasing opportunities for women in sector where he made his fortune. The University of Sydney is now the largest beneficiary of philanthropy in New South Wales after a billionaire donated $100m to drive young girls into Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The record donation from tech founder Robin Khuda will fund a two-decade program addressing the underrepresentation of women studying and working in Stem – with a particular focus on western Sydney.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney, Mark Scott, said he and Khuda had consulted for two years to develop the program. The $100m is the largest single philanthropic donation in the university’s history and across the state, Scott said. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. Khuda, the founder of the datacentre business AirTrunk, began his philanthropy foundation in 2020 with the aim of increasing the number of women in technology.

Khuda made headlines in 2024 for giving bonuses totalling $22m to more than 300 of his employees after a $24bn acquisition of AirTrunk by the US private equity firm Blackstone. Khuda moved to Australia from Bangladesh as an 18-year-old. He lived in western Sydney and opened his first datacentre in 2017. Of the $24bn deal with Blackstone, he said: “Now I want to give back and make a long-term, positive societal impact because of my belief in the importance of diversity in Stem.”.

Khuda said he chose the University of Sydney, sidestepping local institution the University of Western Sydney and his alma mater, UTS, because of its “outstanding” academic, research and teaching reputation. “The women who graduate from this program will have attended one of the best universities in the world,” he said. Philanthropy is a significant source of revenue for universities to fund their services, accounting for around $800m each year. But it is largely concentrated among elites.

Australia’s research-intensive Group of Eight members received about 75% of donations and bequests in 2021 ($360m) across 39 higher education institutions. In 2019, the University of Sydney reached its goal of $1bn in donations over a decade, attracting more than 64,000 donors from seven continents. It was the only university in NSW to report a surplus in the latest reporting period. Sign up to Afternoon Update.

Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters. after newsletter promotion. Fewer than 10% of students at the university were from a low socioeconomic background in 2022, according to Department of Education data. But the university estimated this had significantly risen since a scholarship program for disadvantaged students was rolled out in 2023.

Scott said Khuda’s program would be the only one in Australia that guaranteed an undergraduate place and scholarship for girls who qualified during the HSC. “We need to work in advance of enrolment … which is dependent on the pipeline that comes to us from school system,” he said. “We’re looking all the way back to beginning of high school to get pipeline right. Talent is equally distributed in the community but opportunity is not.”.

Starting at six partner high schools from 2027, the program will offer tutoring and mentoring in maths, physics and engineering across years seven to 10. In years 11 and 12, about 1,200 girls in partner schools will be offered a place in the “Khuda Academy”, with academic support from University of Sydney students and an annual bursary to continue Stem subjects. Those who graduate from the academy will receive a guaranteed scholarship and place at the university, including funds for university accommodation and mentoring throughout their degree.