An Italian historian with links to Cambridge University and the London School of Economics is behind a move to make donations for research and scholarships tax deductible.

Giovanni Aldobrandini, a British history specialist has taught in Rome at the LUISS (Libera Universita degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli) and at La Sapienza, and in 1999-2001 he was a visiting fellow at St John's College, Cambridge, and then at the LSE's European Institute. In 2000, Professor Aldobrandini, the heir of an affluent Roman family, decided to personally finance a PhD at St John's.

"Having enjoyed the excellence of teaching and research at Cambridge, I wanted other Italians to have similar experiences. I spoke to the master of St John's and arranged to give £35,000 a year to support graduates from Roman universities - Jone a year for three years each."

Italian tax laws discouraged such an initiative, so Professor Aldobrandini contacted four Italian senators who agreed to promote a bill allowing individuals to write off donations for study or research abroad.

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Currently, Italy allows write-offs only for companies and only for money given to Italian institutions.

Professor Aldobrandini's proposal sets donations at a maximum of 5 per cent of taxable income, with a ceiling of E250,000 (£167,000). It will finance PhD students in Italy and in selected foreign universities and support academics studying or researching abroad. It will also allow lump-sum endowments to universities.

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The bill requires approval by Parliament's finance commission and by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, which could take up to two years.

Professor Aldobrandini said: "The task now is to drum up support among ministers, party leaders and MPs to make sure the bill becomes law as soon as possible."