About Us

Durham is one of the world’s great universities and one of the most distinctive.

Founded in 1832, we are England’s third oldest university. Today, we’re an international family of extraordinary people comprising 26 departments across four faculties, with over 4,300 staff and around 21,500 students. All our students belong to one of 17 colleges, which provide a unique, supportive environment to inspire them to become the best they can be, in their studies and beyond.

But we are so much more than our league table positions and so much more than a research-intensive university which offers outstanding teaching. Our students benefit from being members for life of one of our Colleges, each of which offers a diverse and supportive community in which they can thrive and develop both personally and academically. Additionally, the Durham Students’ Union and Experience Durham, which co-ordinate our renowned drama, music, leadership, sport, and volunteering programmes, ensure that our students enjoy an unrivalled student experience.

Durham University combines academic excellence with a commitment to producing the highly motivated, well-rounded, and socially engaged leaders of tomorrow.

Our Purpose

We enrich lives and change the world through the advancement of learning.

We achieve this by:

• Inspiring and supporting staff and students to create and translate knowledge and enhance understanding, locally and globally.
• Promoting inclusivity, civic responsibility, sustainability, social well-being and prosperity for the benefit of present and future generations.

Our Core Lived Values

• Inclusivity – Together we celebrate difference, value one another, and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.
• Integrity – We are open, honest, ethical, lead and manage by example and follow through on our commitments.
• Collaboration – We listen to each other, disagree well, with a commitment to academic freedom, are compassionate, and work as a team to achieve our goals.
• Commitment to Excellence – We strive for the highest standards of achievement in everything we do with an enthusiasm to learn, succeed, and flourish.
• Citizenship – We develop well-rounded people who make a positive difference to local, national, and international communities and change the world.