Multimillion gift to Sydney Uni
THE University of Sydney has received a $35 million gift from the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, the largest donation to the university since it was founded in 1850.
THE University of Sydney has received a $35 million gift from the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, the largest donation to the university since it was founded in 1850.
The funds will enable construction of the main building within the university’s proposed Health Precinct. For the first time, multiple health disciplines will come together in a purpose-built facility to translate research into education and clinical services.
“We were inspired by the radical and innovative approach the University of Sydney is taking to address immediate and future health-care challenges,’’ Isaac Wakil said. “Susan and I are pleased to be able to make this project a reality.”
University chancellor Belinda Hutchinson said, “Susan and Isaac Wakil’s incredible generosity will harness greater collaboration between all the health faculties to deliver better health care to millions of people.
“The next generation of health professionals must meet the challenges in health care in Australia and internationally with training that supports innovative, multidisciplinary team-based clinical care.”
The Susan Wakil Health Building will co-house the faculties of Nursing and Midwifery and Health Sciences, with components of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry. It will provide state-of-the-art clinical simulation programs and a multi-service clinic, as well as flexible infrastructure that supports team-based research programs.
“Thanks to the Wakils’ extraordinary gift, we can provide a hub for students of the health disciplines, where knowledge and skills are shared and developed across the faculties,” said vice-chancellor and principal Dr Michael Spence. “By combining knowledge across disciplines, we can translate research into real-world outcomes.”
In recognition of the gift, the Faculty of Nursing will be named The University of Sydney Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery. The university will also name the professorship held by the dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery as The Susan Wakil Dean’s Professorship of Nursing and Midwifery, while a second professorship will be called The Susan and Isaac Wakil Professorship of Healthy Ageing.
In 2015 the couple gave $10.8 million to the Sydney Nursing School to establish 12 annual nursing scholarships, bringing their total university giving to nearly $46 million.
Isaac Wakil immigrated to Australia from Baghdad, making his fortune in the clothing industry and subsequently in property acquisition. Susan Wakil hails from Bessarabia, formerly in Romania.
Last year, the couple made a $1 million donation to the Sydney Jewish Museum for the endowment of the lower ground floor as a Centre of Learning in memory of Susan’s parents, Anna and Mark Reznik.
AJN STAFF
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