A NORTH-EAST university has been given £250,000 to help attract more private funding.

The Government is giving the University of Sunderland's development office the money over three years.

Sunderland, which will match the Government's funding, is the only university in the North-East to have been chosen to take part in the national pilot scheme to promote voluntary giving to higher education institutions.

The Department for Education and Skills and Universities UK, which represents all of Britain's universities, is giving up to £7.5m to 27 higher education providers to match fund investment to increase income from private donations.

The university's development office has raised more than £4m towards student support and facilities since it was set up in 1998.

The Media Centre and Catherine Cookson Reading Room at St Peter's were built partly through funds raised by the development office.

University vice-chancellor Professor Peter Fidler said last night: "To be chosen by the Government for this pilot project is clear recognition of the development office's excellent achievements.

"Its staff have worked very hard to raise funds for a number of university projects."

Professor Drummond Bone, president of Universities UK, said: "The whole sector is working hard to increase the revenue it gets from philanthropic income.

"This scheme is a way to give extra value to this activity and will allow us to gather evidence about the effectiveness of additional support."