Eight institutions have altogether secured almost $1.6 billion in donations under the third matching-grant scheme, the University Grants Committee says, adding that $888 million in matching grants were allocated to them.

Committee chairman Dr Alice Lam said she was pleased the community had continued to respond to the scheme with generous support.

"Looking back, over the past three rounds of the matching-grant scheme, institutions have raised $4.8 billion in private donations and a total of $2.888 billion of matching grants has been allocated. This really is an outstanding achievement," Dr Lam said.

To strengthen the committee-funded institutions' fund-raising capabilities and to encourage the growth of a philanthropic culture in the community, the Government allocated $1 billion to launch the third matching-grant scheme last June.

Relaxations introduced in the second round to facilitate two significant developments in the higher education sector - internationalisation and campus development of the institutions - were continued in this third round.

The matching grant was disbursed on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis up to $45 million, beyond which $1 was granted for every $2 donation, up to a ceiling of $250 million of grant.