Understanding the subscriptions and donations
A number of companies, originally local but now more widespread, subscribe money towards a fund for use in the Department of Computer Science and Technology which is used strictly for academic purposes. In the past it has paid for extra teaching effort; at present it is mainly used for the support of research students or for kick-starting new smaller areas of research before traditional sources of funding are appropriate.
It has the great merit from our point of view that the money is unlabelled, and so can do good out of proportion to its absolute size. We cannot predict when a need will arise which cannot be dealt with through the rather stately processes of University decision-making, whether it be a teaching emergency, a student to support, or a research idea to back.
Companies pay a subscription for membership of the Club, and can purchase a table at the annual Recruitment Fair. We try to keep these costs low to allow smaller start-ups to participate as well as wealthy financial institutions; we want to offer a diverse range of contacts and opportunities to our students.
Many more successful or established companies are also able to make a donation in addition to the basic subscription. Some have compared the likely annual costs of recruiting Oxbridge students through agencies and other methods, and have felt that a larger contribution was appropriate here. Others have simply been able to donate as part of their corporate social responsibility budget. Whatever the reasons, these gifts are particularly valuable to us and are greatly appreciated. Please contact the Supporters' Club Organiser in the first instance, if you might be able to assist in this way.
How to join
As a a starting point, please fill in the Member Information Form to give us your basic details. If anything is unclear, or if you'd like to know more, please email the Supporters' Club Organiser. We're always keen to hear from you.
The current subscription rates for membership are listed here.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Club!
