All your latest news and events

Newswire
April 2023

Do we have the correct details for you?
Current Postcode:
Current Business Position:

News

Durham’s research strengths

As alumni will know through personal experience, Durham is a globally outstanding centre of teaching, learning and research excellence, demonstrated by recent QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 (more on this below).

At the heart of this are Durham’s people - scientists, social scientists, business, and arts and humanities scholars alike. The University is home to some of the world’s leading authorities in their fields.

Read aboout some of the latest global impact research and meet the people behind the stories using the button below.

Durham Global Week round-up

The first Durham Global Week (featured in last month’s Newswire) was a resounding success, with over 40 international-themed events and success throughout the University recognised through the Durham Global Awards.

A variety of events, including panel discussions, workshops, language taster sessions, world music and dance, an international film screening, kitchen takeovers and more took place across the University campus. Nine awards at the Durham Global Awards celebrated staff and students for their contribution to Durham’s global research, partnerships and reputation.

We’re delighted that alumni got involved too, with a talk featuring alumnus Lord Darroch of Kew (Zoology, Hatfield College, 1972-75) and a get-together in Singapore.

12 subjects within world top 50

The prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 have rated no fewer than 12 of Durham’s subjects in the world top 50, and a further 19 in the world top 100, recognising the extraordinary standard of teaching and learning, and reflecting the strong impact and quality of work produced by our researchers and academics.

The rankings assessed over 18,300 subjects from 1,597 institutions globally, based on academic and employer reputation, citations per academic paper, impact and quality of research, and international research collaboration factors.

Durham MBA (Online) ranked amongst the best in the world

Following last month’s article which reported that the Durham MBA (Full-time) had been ranked 1st in the UK for value for money, we’re delighted to share further success.

The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2023 has ranked the Durham MBA (Online) within the top 5 best programmes in the UK and Europe, and amongst the global top 10.

Start your postgraduate journey with a Durham alumni scholarship

Did you know that postgraduate qualifications can greatly enhance your career opportunities and increase your earning potential?

As a valued Durham graduate, the Durham alumni scholarship entitles you to a 10% discount on postgraduate tuition fees. This could be a great opportunity to upskill in your specialist area, or to broaden your horizons and explore an entirely new discipline.

Events

Vice-Chancellor’s evening receptions in the USA

It is our pleasure to invite you to join our Vice-Chancellor and Warden, Professor Karen O'Brien, with senior University colleagues and fellow alumni and friends to evening receptions across the US in San Francisco, Seattle, and New York:

San Francisco - Tuesday 25 April, from 7pm

Seattle - Wednesday 26 April, from 7pm

New York - Friday 28 April, from 7pm

The evening offers the opportunity to meet the Vice-Chancellor and hear directly her perspective on aspirations guiding Durham’s current and future plans. We will also be joined by Professor Gordon Love in San Francisco and Seattle to hear the latest developments in the Department of Computer Science and student and graduate enterprise support at Durham.

View events listings

Upcoming alumni events

Durham Inspired: Live (virtual) – How to promote yourself on LinkedIn
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 6-7pm
Discover how to start getting the results you want from your LinkedIn profile with Career Consultant, LinkedIn expert and alumnus Sam Waterfall (Entrepreneurship, Hatfield College, 1999-2000) from Obvious Candidate.

Durham Inspired Live (virtual): Recovering Shakespeare
Thursday 27 April 2023 6-7pm
Join Tony King, Head of Collections Care and Conservation, and Danielle Westerhof, Rare Books Curator, to learn the story of Shakespeare’s First Folio, and how it was recovered.

Global Lecture Series (virtual): Urban Infrastructure, Climate Change, Disaster and Risk
Wednesday 3 May 2023, 3.30pm
Professor Coningham holds the University’s UNESCO Chair in Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage. He will be speaking at the invitation of the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the European Union, Mr Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby CMG.

Shakespeare's First Folio: in conversation with Professor Emma Smith and Gregory Doran (virtual)
Wednesday 31 May 2023, 6pm
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities will be welcoming Professor Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, Hertford College, Oxford; and Gregory Doran, Artistic Director Emeritus, Royal Shakespeare Company to talk about their encounters with Shakespeare’s First Folios.

View all upcoming events

Check our events pages regularly for all the upcoming alumni events across the world.

View Now

Get Involved

Hong Kong Alumni Chapter

If you are based in Hong Kong, why not connect with our Hong Kong Alumni Chapter?

“The Hong Kong chapter is small but mighty! Events are organised throughout the year, ranging from cocktails to formal dinners, and from seminars to hikes. Recently, the Hong Kong chapter organised a cocktail reception at the Hong Kong Club. Alumni ranging from the 1970s to the 2020s had a lovely time mingling with one another and swapping stories about college rivalry, famous alumni, and Klute!”

- Alumni Chapter Lead Cordelia Yeung (Law, Collingwood College, 2014)

Get Involved

Switzerland Alumni Chapter

“The snow was good, but the visibility was awful and at times we could hardly make out the next piste marker. We therefore enjoyed a long lunch break at Restaurant Fuederegg. Fun was had by all and we didn’t lose anyone! I get on splendidly with all the alumni I meet. Can’t say if it is down to the [River] Wear, happy hours, college food or perhaps even academia!”

- Alumni Chapter Lead Thomas Norgate (Physics, College of St Hild and St Bede, 1993)

Pictured above: alumni in Switzerland reunited recently at ski resort Hoch Ybrig.

Get Involved

Singapore Alumni Chapter

As part of Durham Global Week, alumni in Singapore met up in March. This was the first volunteer-led event in Singapore, following a successful visit by Vice-Chancellor and Warden Professor Karen O’Brien last year.

As we grow the alumni network in Singapore, we would love to hear thoughts from Singapore-based alumni.

Send us your feedback

Volunteer with us at Summer Congregation

Get involved with one of the best events in the University calendar by joining us on the alumni stand at Summer Congregation from Friday 30 June – Thursday 6 July. Meet new alumni to welcome them to our amazing alumni community in person as they celebrate their achievements and embark on their next adventure. Find out more about this fun, rewarding day below.

Read more and register

Help recruit future students to Durham

Want to help attract future students to Durham?

As a Durham graduate, telling your story is a great way to inspire prospective students about where a Durham degree might lead. We are looking for alumni to reflect on their university experiences and careers since graduating, and would love to give you a platform to share yours.

We have numerous online sessions from April to September – join us and be part of them!

Get Involved

Alumni

Postgraduate open days

Have you thought about returning to Durham for a postgraduate degree? Whether you know what you want to do or need a little help, over the coming months, we have plenty of online activities for you.

From Q&A and academic sessions to webinars covering topics such as how to apply, accommodation and so much more - we want to make your journey to return to study with us that little bit easier.

Take a look at our events page via the button below and sign up for any sessions that interest you. New sessions will be added each month, so check back for updates.

Free-to-access 'Excel for All' training course

Looking to improve your Excel skills? Santander is currently offering 5,000 free places to anyone over 18 on its ‘Excel for All 2023’ programme.

You can choose from two courses – ‘Excel from Beginners to Advanced’ or ‘Advanced Excel, Macros and Visual Basic’. Both programmes will be delivered online and will help you to become more confident in one of the most widely used professional tools.

Applications close on Tuesday 16 May.

Apply here

‘Cuddy’ by Benjamin Myers

‘Cuddy’ tells several stories centring around the unofficial patron saint of the North of England, St Cuthbert. The narratives cross the eras, from searching for a final resting place for the Saint’s coffin, to the building of Durham Cathedral, to the opening of his tomb in the 1800s, and extend to recent times. Told through the voices of those who live and work in the Cathedral and its surroundings, it may resonate with many of our alumni across the globe.

Class Notes

Dr Sakib Amin (Economics, Ustinov College, 2011-16) was named as a finalist in the British Council Study UK Alumni Awards Bangladesh 2023 in the Science and Sustainability Category for his work on energy market reforms.

Dinah Bennett OBE (Entrepreneurship, 1999-2000) has been featured in Forbes' 10 Inspiring Founders of Startups Focused on Women as founder of International Consultants for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise. The article addresses the global challenge presented to female entrepreneurs and what drove Dinah to start her own business.

Paul Ellis (Modern Languages, Grey College, 1991-95) has co-authored his fourth educational publication, ‘Neurodiversity and Education’, focusing on neurodiversity, definitions and history, leading on to how teaching, learning and assessment can be made more inclusive.

Stephen Finlan (Theology, Graduate Society, 1999-2004) has written ‘To Unite the Scattered Children of God: Hope for the Spiritual Uniting of Humanity from Isaiah to the Present Day’, an accessible exploration of hope for the spiritual uniting of humankind published through Cascade Press.

Ed Gamble (Philosophy, Hatfield College, 2004-07) & Nick Mohammed (Geophysics, St Aidan’s College, 1999 – 2003) can be heard in a recent episode of Ed Gamble & James Acaster’s ‘Off Menu' comic podcast discussing enduring Durham food memories amongst other food-related topics.

Theophilos Giannopoulos (Theology, University College, 1984-95) otherwise known as the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, has consecrated the Chrism oil which will be used to anoint His Majesty The King on the occasion of his Coronation on Thursday 6 May.

Miles Hudson (Physics, Education, College of St Hild and St Bede, 1988-93) continues his series of dystopian future novels. ‘The Times of Malthus’ will be published on Thursday 20 April, with a launch event in Collected Books in Durham on Saturday 22 April. This is the prequel to his previous novels ‘2089’ and ‘The Mind’s Eye’.

Charles T Kotuby Jr (Law, Graduate Society, 1999-2000), alumnus and Honorary Professor, has co-authored new publication ‘Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards: A Concise Guide to the New York Convention's Uniform Regime’.

Felicity McDowall (Anthropology & Archaeology, St Mary's College, 2012-15; Archaeology, Trevelyan College, 2016-21) has been interviewed by global teaching and learning resource institution Twinkl about her career in Archaeology and Anthropology as part of their International Day of Women and Girls in Science campaign. Watch her interview here.

Guy Middleton (Classics) has penned his new book ‘Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World: From the Palaeolithic to the Byzantines’ which explores the lives of 30 real women from queens and aristocrats, to priestesses and philosophers, and Saints and prostitutes. Guy has kindly shared a 20% discount on purchases of this publication, which alumni can access by entering the code WAMW2023 at the checkout through the link above.

Zenia Selby (Classics, St Cuthbert’s Society, 2012-15) will be releasing new book ‘Breaking into Factual TV: Your Career Companion’ in May. Designed to support those looking to start careers in the television industry, it draws on her own professional experience and includes contributions from other Durham alumni.

Do you have any news you would like to share with the wider alumni community? Keep us up to date using the button below.

Share your news

Colleges

Collingwood College

In continuation of Collingwood’s 50th Golden Anniversary celebrations, former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Bar Stewards and Tech/Theatre Sabbaticals (along with their guest) are invited to London House, Goodenough College in London for a drinks reception and informal two-course meal on Saturday 20 May.

Book your place

Grey College

Following a major refurbishment of the Hollingside Building, which has meant a temporary bar (the ‘barquee’) and dining hall (within Fountains Hall), Grey College was pleased to re-open the Greyhound Bar on Saturday 11 March. Acting Master Peter Swift and 1st year student Harry Young, charity raffle winner, pulled the first pint (pictured). The college community is also looking forward to being back in the dining hall from the Easter term!

St Chad's College

Does it matter where churches invest their money or who they bank with?

Is it OK to accept funding from the National Lottery to mend the church roof?

What should churches do about historic endowments linked to exploitation?

Professor Fred Robinson of St Chad’s College reflects on ‘Churches and ‘Tainted Money’ in a recent blog.

St Cuthbert’s Society

This term St Cuthbert’s Society has hosted IAS Fellow Dr David Kneas (University of South Carolina). David is an Anthropologist exploring the phenomenon of beachcombing for sea glass at Seaham, and is part of a wider IAS project around themes of Pollution. Vice-Principal Dr Jon Warren is also involved, contributing his knowledge about mining and its legacy in the North East. They both contributed to and participated in a ‘walkshop’ to former Weardale lead mining last month.

St John’s College

Cranmer Hall, St John’s College, has been selected as a Growing Faith Learning Hub in partnership with the Growing Faith Foundation within the Church of England. The hub will be a dedicated research and training centre with the focus of enabling a culture shift within local Church of England churches.

Stephenson College

Stephenson College hosted a Global Goals Summit to kick off Durham Global Week. Students from Durham University, Durham International Study Centre, and local sixth form pupils learned about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and created innovative solutions to educate consumers about the fast fashion industry through a Durham Venture Lab Game Changer Challenge. The winning team (students from Stephenson, Van Mildert, South and John Snow Colleges) was presented with certificates at the Durham Global Awards on Friday 10 March.

University College

As part of University College’s 950th anniversary, the North Terrace is currently being restored. The North Terrace runs along the north-eastern perimeter of the Castle walls, from Principal's House, around the Keep, and all the way over to the Chaplain's Suite, where it overlooks the Viaduct. It once formed part of the historic promenade for Prince Bishops of Durham, and we hope to bring it back to use in the coming months!

Van Mildert College

Van Mildert College’s annual charity fashion show on Friday 10 March was a night to remember. The theme was ‘Dusk till Dawn’ and the Ann Dobson Hall was transformed with a catwalk, 130 models wearing clothes from students and local brands, and 250 guests. Directed by Niamh Holford (2nd year Natural Sciences undergraduate), it showcased creativity and inclusivity, fundraising for charity Centrepoint and Mildert’s own Young Persons’ Project.

The evening was rounded off by a raffle and performance from Mildert’s Dance Society.

Departments and Societies

Department of Archaeology: Alumni contribute to Nepalese UNESCO World Heritage nomination

Over the past decade Durham’s UNESCO Chair team, colleagues from Archaeological Services and several Durham alumni from South Asia and Europe, have been working with the Department of Archaeology (Government of Nepal) and Lumbini Development Trust on archaeological investigations at Tilaurakot in south-west Nepal, identified by many scholars as Kapilavastu - the childhood home of The Buddha. Tilaurakot is one of the best-preserved ancient cities within South Asia and our alumni have been involved in excavations, conservation, and artefact processing.

Department of Classics and Ancient History: Aristotle in America

Professor Edith Hall, leader of the ground-breaking ‘Aristotle Beyond the Academy’ Leverhulme-funded research project, has recently given lectures in the USA (New York and Chicago). Professor Hall, Dr Arlene Holmes-Henderson and Dr Peter Swallow are investigating how, where and why Aristotle has made cultural appearances in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales since the Restoration (1660).

Alumni (and guests) are welcome to attend this project’s public launch online on Monday 17 April.

Book your place

Department of Music: PhD student premieres research in Canada

Following on from her title of Canadian Music Laureate in 2022, PhD Music student Rita Ueda has recently picked up the prestigious Jules Leger Prize from Canada Council for the Arts. The intercultural music composer premiered her research entitled ‘Bloom’ as part of The Rite of Spring - Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in March. 

Department of Theology & Religion: Durham Theologian to help shape Catholic Church

Professor Anna Rowlands has been selected for a secondment that will see her spend two years working with the General Secretariat of the Synod, and the Dicastery (Department) for Integral Human Development of the Holy See (Vatican). Her role will include working closely with the team managing the global Synod process established by Pope Francis. She will also support the core research work of the Holy See department that speaks on matters of politics, economics, climate and migration.
Image courtesy of Catholic News Service

Durham Law School: Alumnus and Honorary Professor at Law Summer School

Professor Kotuby Jr is Professor in Practice and Executive Director at the Center for International Legal Education (University of Pittsburgh School of Law) and advisory board member of the Durham International Dispute Resolution Institute. Prof Kotuby Jr is one of the speakers and founders of the Law School Summer Course in International Arbitration. Booking for the 2023 course is now open.

Institute for Medical Humanities: Join the world’s largest Medical Humanities congress

Alumni are invited to join CRITICAL, the 5th annual NNMHR Congress co-hosted by the Institute for Medical Humanities at Durham from Wednesday 19 - Friday 21 April. Join international researchers and practitioners to assess the role of health research today, consider the future of humanities and social science research in relation to healthcare and medicine, and explore the nature of critical medical humanities. With over 40 panels and 150 speakers, this is an essential event for medical humanities research. 

School of Modern Languages and Cultures: ‘Where Are We Now?’ conference

From Wednesday 19 – Friday 21 April, the School of Modern Languages and Cultures will host the conference ‘Where Are We Now? The Location of Modern Languages and Cultures’ in Durham. It will focus on questions of urgent national concern around the study of languages and the identity of Modern Languages as a discipline. Programme and keynote speaker details can be accessed below. Alumni are welcome to attend - please contact Professor Claudia Nitschke by Monday 17 April to register.

Retail

Gifts from Durham University Retail Office

Here at the Retail Office, we strive to provide staff, students and alumni with the best possible merchandise, to commemorate their time here at Durham. With stock ranging from stationery and jewellery to clothing and glassware, there is sure to be something that will take your fancy.

Shop now

Stay Connected

Newswire is compiled and produced by Lucian Hudson, Tristan Alltimes, Debbie Mayne, Jo Coombs, and Hamish Lehan; along with colleagues across the University and our alumni community.
Please feel free to contact us with ideas, feedback, and content submissions.

Keep in Touch

If you would like to unsubscribe or change your email preferences, please contact us:

+44 191 334 6305

alumni.office@durham.ac.uk

Durham University, Development & Alumni Relations Office, Palatine Centre, Stockton Road, Durham. DH1 3LE

Privacy Notice | Email Preferences