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Research to empower and inspire

We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching, learning and research excellence. We are a world top 100 university, with 12 of our subjects ranked in the world top 50 and 19 in the world top 100. We conduct innovative and impactful research to transform lives and make a difference, globally and locally: research to empower and inspire.
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Research
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Research Impact at Durham

Read about our Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 impact case studies.

Impact Case Studies

Latest news

Scientists unearth forgotten children of the past

Scientists have unearthed a harrowing story of forgotten children of the past, providing the first direct evidence of the lives of early nineteenth century ‘pauper apprentices’.
Image of a young child in a cotton mill factory setting

First-of-its-kind measurement of Universe’s expansion rate

Our physicists are part of an international team that has successfully used a first-of-its-kind technique to measure the expansion of the Universe.
A supernova surrounded by stars

Research says talking to toddlers shapes early brain development

New research reveals that talking to babies and toddlers helps shape their developing brain.
An image of two parents interacting with a young child

Strengthening our North American partnerships

In April we celebrated our long-standing partnership with the University of Notre Dame in North America.
A group of people standing in they foyer of a large building.

New interdisciplinary health research awarded £9m grant

Our cutting-edge Institute for Medical Humanities (IMH) has been awarded a £9m Discovery Research Platform Award to develop a new Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities (DRP-MH).
Wellcome trust grant

Celebrate Chinese Language Day with Ethnomusicologist Dr Samuel Horlor

April 20 is Chinese Language Day, one of a series of Language Days selected by the United Nations to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. Dr Samuel Horlor, a Teaching Fellow in Ethnomusicology in our Music Department, discusses his research on Chinese popular music with a particular focus on audiency, street music, and music's embeddedness in everyday urban life.
Chinese street musicians

Thinking about Earth Day every day

This week marks Earth Day (22 April), an awareness day which focuses the world to consider its impact on the Earth and encourage further investment in our planet.
A series of images including an otter, bee and sunflower, children interacting with a puffin, wind turbine, and helium

Vice-Chancellor calls for higher education funding reform

The UK funding model for higher education should be changed to support students’ financial needs and the future viability of the sector, our Vice-Chancellor has said.
Professor Karen O'Brien speaking at a Policy Exchange debate

Celebrating international connections with the Canadian High Commissioner

We had a great opportunity to celebrate our connections with Canada last week as we welcomed the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom to Durham. The Honourable Ralph E. Goodale has been in post since April 2021 and was joined on the visit by Laura Lumsden, First Secretary (Trade) at the Canadian High Commission in London, whose remit includes education.

Light-bending gravity reveals one of the biggest black holes ever found

A team of astronomers, led by Dr James Nightingale from our Department of Physics, has discovered one of the biggest black holes ever found by taking advantage of a phenomenon called gravitational lensing.
biggest black hole ever found

Durham strengthens ties with twinned Ukrainian university

The war in Ukraine remains of immense concern to us all. Today (March 29) marks the one-year anniversary of the UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative, under which we are twinned with Ukrainian university Zaporizhzhia National University (ZNU).
Ukraine flag and logos for Durham and ZNU universities

Twelve of our subjects are ranked in the world top 50

We are at the forefront of global academic excellence and our global rankings reflect that status.
A groups of students chatting on benches outside the library
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Global Culture

Interested in how the cultural activities of Durham's staff and student bodies enrich life worldwide? Head to the Global Culture page to find out.

Find out more