Ustinov College

As Durham's wholly postgraduate College, Ustinov specialises in providing support, facilities and accommodation tailored to the needs of postgraduate students in residence throughout the year. Our membership includes students at all levels of postgraduate study, taught masters and research students, students from the UK and international students. Based among the greenery of Howlands Farm, Ustinov is just a short distance from the city centre, the library, the departments in the main university site and as a result has students following programmes in all subjects. 

As a postgraduate community, we provide a diverse range of academic and social activities for our members. In addition to the many social activities organised by the Graduate Common Room, Ustinov is home to the Ustinov Seminar, a regular interdisciplinary forum for postgraduates to discuss their research; regular cafe discussion groups (Cafe Scientifique, Cafe Politique); the Cafe des Arts, which focuses on cultural activities; and the Ustinov Intercultural Forum. The opportunity to engage with these activities helps students benefit from the multinational and intercultural community which is a distinctive feature of postgraduate study and become global citizens. We have a number of links with research institutes, such as the Institute of Advanced Study, collaborate with departments and academic staff across the university for our lectures and discussion groups, and are home to the Race, Crime and Justice Research Group. A typical week at Ustinov might consist of a Café Politique with a resident Fulbright Scholar on a topic such as ‘Global Security’, a Café des Arts event with our Writer in Residence discussing the Lindisfarne Gospels’ return to Durham, an Ustinov Seminar on a topic such as ‘Environmental Sustainability’, an English Café to plan an international recipe book, a talk and demonstration about mixing different genres of music, an Ustinov Choir rehearsal, a walking club trip to Finchale Priority an open mic night and the Ustinov Pub Quiz. 

Additional college costs

• GCR Membership fee of £25 per year

Accommodation

• 'Paired rooms': In addition to our standard and ensuite rooms, we have 'paired' rooms, where two individual rooms share one shower room. NB the bedrooms are not shared
• Family accommodation: We also have a small number of double rooms for couples and 1, 2 and 3-bedroom flats for families. Family flats are at Keenan House, Dryburn, which is to the north of the city centre.
• Accessible accommodation is available, all ensuite. Please contact us to enquire.

Catering

• Ustinov College is entirely self-catered; students prepare their own means in fully-equipped kitchens, shared with between 5 and 8 students.
• Kitchens include: cooker, sink and washing up area, individual (lockable) storage areas, fridge, freezer, cupboard space, television point, table and dining chairs, seating area, microwave, toaster, kettle, iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner.
• Meals can be purchased during the day at the coffee shop (Café@Ustinov)
• Groceries: The on-site College shop provides all the basics and supermarket deliveries can be made to the College.

Facilities

Our main College building, Fisher House, houses the following facilities:

Other facilities

We share the next-door Howlands Building with Josephine Butler College. This houses the following facilities:

Societies, sports and outreach

The strong interdisciplinary research ethos of the college is reflected in the regular 'Ustinov Seminar Series', which covers topics as diverse as cosmology, utopias, identity, foreign policy decision-making and poetry and climate change, with one seminar a term sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Study. Regular cafe discussion groups including the Café Politique and Café Scientifique welcome outside speakers from Higher Education, politics and science to discuss matters of scientific and current interest into a relaxed, informal setting. The Café des Arts provides a focus for artistic activities at Ustinov, including our Artist and Writer in Residence. The 'Ustinov Intercultural Forum' organises the annual Cultural Day and other international events. The Ustinov Volunteering Project helps and encourages our members to engage with the local community. These activities are all organised and run by student members and provide opportunities for postgraduates, in a relaxed, friendly, multi-national setting, to develop the type of team-working, networking, leadership and presentation skills which are important for graduate employment and personal and professional development.

The Graduate Common Room (the student members of the college) organises a large number of events and activities throughout the year, including parties, formal dinners, balls, the legendary Ustinov pub quizzes, excursions and musical evenings. The Graduate Common Room Committee, elected by students, represents the interests of student members. Positions include President, Treasurer, Social Secretary, Induction Officer and Livers' Out Reps. They also coordinate the student-run clubs and societies, including sport (men and women's football, hockey, basketball, tennis and table tennis, boat club), music (individual and group, including the Ustinov Choir and open mic nights), and other interests (allotment, pool, darts, Ustinov Americas Society). Sport societies practice in the nearby Howlands Building, the multi-use games are behind the college, on the university sports field or the river, while other societies often meet in Fisher House or the Howlands Building.

In addition to time spent at Ustinov, many Ustinov members also act as College Mentors to undergraduates in other colleges.

Support

The Vice-Principal & Senior Tutor, Assistant Senior Tutor and Student Support Officer provide direct one-to-one, pastoral support for college members and also organise activities such as induction and enrolment. Since we only have postgraduate students as members, the support and advice we provide is tailored to postgraduates and based on a wealth of experience dealing with students from all over the world studying every subject.

The student support staff are assisted in their duties by the College Secretary, and Membership Secretaries, who provide a high level of dedicated support for prospective, current and former members. New members can also opt to be provided with a College Mentor, a volunteer whose role is to provide social support to a group of students to help them settle in Durham.

Contact us:

Catherine Hardy
Membership Secretary (Admissions)

T: 0191 334 7241
E: ustinov.admissions@durham.ac.uk