SCOTTISH universities have enjoyed an increase in the amount of money they get in donations from former graduates, according to new figures.

Official statistics show the sector's endowment income increased between 2010/11 and 2011/12 from around £29 million to nearly £33m.

The figure is small in comparison with the overall income Scottish universities receive – which topped £2.8 billion – and it includes existing investments.

However, at a time of uncertainty around public funding, as well as rising costs, the increase was welcomed by universities, which have worked hard to develop a culture of philanthropy amongst graduates.

In America, it is routine for former students to give money to their universities after they have graduated, in recognition of the benefits of their education, but the practice is far less popular in the UK.

Nonetheless, leading Scottish universities such as Aberdeen, St Andrews and Edinburgh have all embarked on major international campaigns to raise money through donations in recent years.

One recent technique adopted by universities to improve the situation is to use graduates as career mentors to support existing students.

As well as helping the undergraduates, it is hoped the practice will cement a lasting relationship between the institution and the graduate that could turn into financial support at a later date.

Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, welcomed the recent rise in donations, but recognised it did not represent a significant shift in the culture of giving so far.

A spokeswoman said: "An important means by which Scotland's universities increased their income in 2011/12 was through endowments and investments and that is very pleasing.

"Encouraging and securing gifts and pledges from alumni and other benefactors continues to be important to all universities, but the culture of graduates giving to their universities still hasn't made it across the Atlantic in any significant way yet.

"It's not really a consideration for recent graduates trying to establish themselves in their careers and the impact of the recession can't be helping to change this mindset.

"However, universities are doing more and more to stay in touch with their alumni."

NUS Scotland, which represents students, said that with rising levels of graduate debt universities should not expect students to give money to them.

Robin Parker, NUS Scotland's president, said: "In these hard economic times, particularly with graduates coming out with large debts from living costs, it is a big ask for them to donate money back.

"While it is, of course, good for graduates to give back if they want to, and if they can afford to, it certainly should not be an expectation.

"Our universities are public institutions, and are quite rightly receiving hundreds of millions of pounds in additional public money over the coming years, and that's where universities should receive their core funding from."

Mr Parker said NUS Scotland had not seen a significant culture change towards Scottish students adopting American-style donating.

But he stressed that if it did increase, it was crucial that older institutions did not benefit at the expense of newer institutions.

He said: "The most important thing when it comes to raising donations from graduate alumni is that they can see funding directly benefit the next generation of students through bursaries and scholarships.

"Graduates and students would not like to see this funding used simply on naming buildings or on investment the university would make anyway."