Billionaire investor Ken Griffin has pledged $3bn to Carnegie Mellon University, the largest single donation in US education history. The gift will fund a new campus in Miami and support priorities at the university’s established Pittsburgh base, including research, recruitment and student affordability.

The Miami campus is expected to serve more than 3,500 students, nearly 300 faculty and over 600 staff, with construction due to begin in 2027. One billion dollars will support the computer science school and other priorities, including financial aid; the school will be renamed after Griffin. The campus will organise teaching around societal challenges such as health, national security, energy and climate, and advanced manufacturing. The gift comes amid growing university investment in technology and AI, alongside concerns about wealthy donors’ influence.