Here you’ll find information about how investments work here at the University. We’ve included a glossary of terms to help unpack some of the complicated technical language around investments.
Types of investment portfolios
The University looks after its finances depending on when they are required. Funds may be held within short, medium and long-term pots that provide different levels of return. Read more about short, medium and long-term investments.
Endowments
Endowment funds are pots of money typically gifted from alumni and donors. To support the University’s work, we invest endowments in longer-term funds, through responsible investment management with a third party to generate targeted returns. This incorporates the following types of endowments:
- Unrestricted permanent endowments: The donor has specified that the fund is to be permanently invested and generate an income stream for the general benefit of the University. We spend the income from unrestricted endowments on general expenditure.
- Restricted endowments: We spend the income generated from restricted endowments in line with the terms of the endowments – for example, on specific research areas.
- Restricted expendable endowments – the donor has specified a particular objective other than fixed assets and the University has the power to use capital over the medium term.
- Restricted permanent endowments – the donor has specified that the fund is to be permanently invested to generate an income stream to be applied to a particular objective.
Who does the University bank with?
Our main bankers are Lloyds Bank. We also bank with HSBC UAE, for our Dubai campus operations.