Services for distance learners
Members of the University who live and study at a distance from the University may access some of the online services offered to staff and students who are in Durham.
This page describes services offered by the CIS. You should also read University Library services for distance learners .
Your CIS account
When you register with the University, you will be issued with an account from Computing and Information Services - CIS. Your department will provide you with details of your username (which will begin with "d") and your password (which is derived from your personal details of name and birth date). Please note: you must change this password as soon as possible (see below ) . With this username/password combination, you will be able access services such as your University email account and online Library databases.
If you wish to come to Durham (including the Stockton campus) and access the full range of CIS services (such as the Networked PC service), then you should let your department know. They will then tell CIS, so that we can set up your account appropriately.
Queries about your CIS account should be sent to the IT Service Desk (itservicedesk@durham.ac.uk) .
Changing your password
You must change your CIS password to something known only to yourself, soon after receiving your registration details. For information about how to choose a secure password, please read InfoSheet 40: Passwords and their security.
Follow this link to change your password online .
Even though you probably already have an email address which you will continue to use, as a member of the University you will have an email address which ends "@durham.ac.uk". You will be able to receive and send messages from this address if you logon to the University's webmail site at http://www.dur.ac.uk/webmail/
The CIS supported webmail system based on Microsoft Exchange uses Outlook Web Access (OWA). It is feature rich and offers an integrated calendar for diary use and all members of the University are being joined to this system.
It is important that you should check your University email in addition to your normal email, as this is the way messages from the University will be sent to you.
Queries about accessing your University email account should be sent to the IT Service Desk (itservicedesk@durham.ac.uk) .