Shaped by the past, creating the future
IN WORDS & PICTURES
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UNIQUE & INSPIRING Durham is an ancient seat of learning and a leading (Top 100) world university which, since its establishment in 1832, has developed a reputation for leadership and innovation in education and research. The University is based in the North East of England, both in Durham City and at Queen’s Campus, Stockton-on-Tees.
View of Durham City from the train station.
1. Owengate, looking up towards Palace Green and Durham Cathedral. 2. Our Chancellor, Sir Thomas Allen, with a graduating student. 3. Bust of Sir Ove Arup who designed Kingsgate Bridge, one of Durham’s four Grade 1 listed bridges over the River Wear.
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STUNNING & MAJESTIC Durham University’s estate is beautiful and varied, ranging from the 11th Century Durham Castle to a 1930s Art Deco Chapel. A cluster of early University colleges and departments nestle in Durham City’s medieval core, while others have grown in sympathy with the City’s expansion over the last 100 years. Durham Castle was endowed to the University in 1837 and 150 years later became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Durham Cathedral, Palace Green and the historic Cosin’s Library. The Castle is now the oldest university building in the world and is home to one of our colleges – University College – where students live, eat and study.
1. The Department of History, located on the North Bailey in the historic heart of Durham. 2. The exterior of the chapel at the College of St. Hild & St. Bede. 3. Archway from the Cathedral courtyard looking on to the South Bailey.
Durham Castle, home to University College.
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EXPERIENCE & EXPLORE The River Wear flows north through Durham City, enclosing the centre of the city on three sides to form Durham’s peninsula. Just like the City, the University combines tradition and modernity. We reflect centuries of learning while our creativity and transformative research shape today’s international agendas.
Elvet Bridge, constructed in 1160, is one of Durham’s medieval masonry arch bridges.
1. Owengate, a cobbled street which provides one of the access routes to Palace Green. 2. South Bailey, including some of our University buildings. 3. The new east-wing extension of the Bill Bryson library.
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INNOVATING & LEADING As one of the UK’s leading institutions and a top 100 university in the world, Durham has always been a modern, forward-looking University. We were one of the first universities to admit women, one of the earliest to develop the sciences, and the first to incorporate Civil and Mining Engineering. Today, we are continuing to provide students with a first-class and unique student experience. Durham’s distinctive approach to research-led teaching ensures that our programmes are cutting-edge and intellectually stimulating and the newly-opened Palatine Centre ensures students have easy access to all the services they need through our professional support departments.
1. The Calman Learning Centre which provides a mixture of open access facilities for students as well as lecture theatres. 2. Lecturer addressing a class. 3. A student receiving help at the student advisers’ desk in The Palatine Centre.
The Palatine Centre serves all student groups across the full ‘student life cycle’, from recruitment to alumni status.
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WORLD-CLASS & CUTTING-EDGE Located in a striking waterfront setting, our contemporary Queen’s Campus at Stockton-on-Tees (established in 1992) is purpose-built to deliver our world-class education in state-of-the-art facilities. The University values freedom of thought and debate, cherishing new ideas and pushing the frontiers of knowledge in an exciting intellectual environment.
Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing.
1. The multi-million pound Sports Centre at Queen’s Campus which offers state-of-the-art sports and fitness facilities. 2. Students in the Postgraduate Study Room in the Ebsworth Building. 3. The Holliday Building, which houses some of the administrative, service and academic departments Queen’s Campus.
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INFLUENCING & INFORMING Research, scholarship and ideas are at the core of Durham University. We are home to some of the most talented researchers and scholars from around the world, tackling global issues, and making a difference to people’s lives. Research directly informs our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, and, in partnership with policy-makers, industry, the public sector, and communities around the world, shapes local, national and international agendas. Durham has eight multidisciplinary University Research Institutes: Biophysical Sciences Institute Durham Energy Institute Institute for Computational Cosmology Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology Institute of Advanced Study Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies The Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
1. Calculations written on a fume cupboard sash. 2. The Institute of Advanced Study, based in Cosin’s Hall is a prestigious ideas-based institute which brings together some of the world’s finest researchers from every disipline to examine themes of major intellectual, political, scientific and practical significance. 3. The Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics houses two of our University Research Institutes – the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and the Institute of Computational Cosmology.
Durham’s world leading single crystal x-ray diffraction equipment.
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PRIDE & TRADITION Durham is a collegiate university with 14 colleges in Durham City and two at Queen’s Campus. Colleges are where students live and socialise, becoming part of a community of staff and students from across the University and beyond, and form a big part of what makes the student experience at Durham so different to anywhere else. Our colleges offer a vibrant, supportive community full of opportunities for students to gain new experiences and develop their skills, as well as providing pastoral care and support. Each college creates a sense of place and community, brought about by distinctive architecture and location, as well as its people.
Formal dinner at University College a traditional aspect of student life at Durham.
1. Students socialising in the Quad at the heart of St. Chad’s College. 2. St. Aidan’s College was designed by renowned architect Sir Basil Spence. The College is noted for it’s unusual design based on curves and arches. 3. Doorway of St. John’s College on South Bailey.
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COLLEGIALITY & DIVERSITY Our colleges also function as scholarly communities, supporting the University in its education and research mission. These communities are led by the college masters and principals but supported by academic and administrative departments, Senior Common Rooms, thriving postgraduate communities and the many visiting research fellows from around the world. The college environment encourages a sense of open interaction, whether academic or social.
1. Students using the purpose-built computer study room at John Snow College. 2. Students socialising at Grey College Day. 3. Josephine Butler College formal for graduating students and their families.
Postgraduate students at St Chad’s College.
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CULTURAL & HISTORIC The University has two museums: The Old Fulling Mill Museum of Archaeology is home to our archaeological collections, ranging from outstanding Roman collections to finds from excavations in Durham City. The Oriental Museum is devoted entirely to celebrating the art and archaeology of the Orient. Our Ancient Egyptian and Chinese collections are amongst the finest to be found anywhere in Britain.
Gallery of art and artefacts at the Oriental Museum.
1. Gallery of early printed books at Palace Green Library. 2. Students finding resources using the University’s electronic catalogue. 3. Statue of Paser, Vizier to Pharaoh Ramesses II, an Egyptian artefact from roughly 1275 BC located in the Oriental Museum.
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GROWTH & EXPERIENCE Each year over 500 of our students volunteer their time and energy to work on projects in the local community, as well as nationally and internationally. Many also get involved in helping to raise money for good causes. Durham Students’ Union offers over 200 different clubs and societies for students to pursue existing hobbies or try new experiences. With around 800 members, Durham Student Theatre is the largest student theatre organisation in the country, and we boast one of the highest levels of student participation in sport in the UK. Our students’ energy and creativity is what makes Durham different, ensuring our campuses are always exciting and inspiring places to be.
1. Students performing at ARC Stockton. 2. Students at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro following a fundraising expedition. 3. Students volunteering at a local theatre through Student Community Action.
A men’s hockey match at Maiden Castle sports ground.
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CELEBRATION & GRADUATION Congregation is the term used to describe our graduation ceremonies and means a gathering of members and friends of the University to witness and celebrate the conferring of degrees. Graduands process from the courtyard of Durham Castle, across Palace Green, to Durham Cathedral where the ceremonies are held. Congregation provides Graduands with a ďŹ nal, spectacular experience of Durham and creates lasting memories which bond friendships and cements networks for life.
Graduating students processing into the Cathedral for their ceremony.
1. Graduating students at Durham Castle waiting to proceed to Durham Cathedral. 2. The graduating students leaving through the Castle gateway. 3. A student being helped on with her gown.
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DURHAM & BEYOND The combination of academic excellence with our uniquely enriching collegiate environment gives our students the best of starts to their careers. Durham graduates are highly-sought by employers and they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to make a difference in whatever sphere of life they choose. Our high achievers include international sports captains, industry leaders, polar explorers, politicians and media stars.
1. Richard Adams: Founder of the UK fair trade organisations Traidcraft and Tearcraft (Social and Public Administration, St John’s, 1968). 2. Sir Harold M Evans MA KBE: Writer, editor, publisher, broadcaster (Economics, University College, 1952). 3. Andrew Strauss: English cricketer and former Captain of England’s Test cricket team (Economics, Hatfield, 1998). 4. Professor Sheikha Al-Misnad: President of Qatar University (Education, St Aidan’s, 1984).
Professor Sheikha Al-Misnad
View of Infinity Bridge and Queen’s Campus from the North Shore Development on the River Tees.
Durham
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