Eye-popping $2B goes to 7 universities in first half of 2026 to drive AI, medical education, scholarships

A round up by Higher Ed Dive of major awards (over $100 million) to higher education in 2026 funding for medical education, research infrastructure, and academic expansion. The University of Texas at Austin received a $750 million pledge from Michael and Susan Dell for a research campus, medical center, scholarships, housing and advanced computing. Cornell University secured $371.5 million from David Duffield, including $250 million for an endowed legacy fund. Washington University in St. Louis received $200 million from the Bursky Family Foundation for its public health school, while the University of Southern California also received $200 million for AI research. Other major gifts include Santa Clara University ($175 million), Case Western Reserve University ($125 million), UC Davis ($120 million), and UC San Francisco ($100 million).