Our links with our European neighbours could be said to date back to Durham University's foundation in 1832, through the Bishop of Durham, William Van Mildert, a leading figure in the establishment of the University. The bishop was the grandson of Abraham Van Mildert of Amsterdam, who was a deacon of the Dutch church in 1711. He belonged to a family formerly resident at Mildert or Meldert in North Brabant (Belgium). Since Durham University's formation a wide range of collaboration programmes evolved over the years with numerous European partner institutions. 

As a fellow member of the Coimbra Group and Matariki Network (MNU), Uppsala University is one of Durham’s most important partners in Europe. Building on many years of successful student exchange and a precedent for research collaboration, a strategic partnership was established. Starting as a connection through the Matariki Network and a longstanding track record of student exchange, the Tübingen-Durham partnership has grown into a robust, bilateral alliance, which is considered to be one of Durham’s flagship European partnerships.

The Durham European Law Institute (DELI) acts as a focus for the dissemination of European Law at regional, national and international level. Our Zurbarán Centre aims to promote and generate innovative research relating to the arts in the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. Since its launch in 2017, the Centre has engaged in major international conferences, research projects, and exhibitions, including the first UK exhibition of the works of Jusepe de Ribera.

This section highlights some of the collaborative research and other activities with our partners in Europe.

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