Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O’Brien and Chancellor Dr Fiona Hill are named in a list of top 100 inspirational women in North East England to mark International Women’s Day 2024.

The Global Lecture Series launched in 2019, marking our strong tradition of hosting internationally inspiring speakers and encouraging discussion amongst our worldwide community of academics, alumni and supporters.  

Pictured: Dr Rowan Williams exploring the theme ‘Can politics be moral?’ in London, 2019. 

With elections approaching for the first region-wide mayor for North East England, we were pleased to play a central role in hosting the signing of a regional ‘trailblazer’ devolution deal.

A report by London Economics shows that research-intensive universities, including Durham, generated almost £900m for North East England through research, innovation, and the creation of new businesses. 

Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Karen O’Brien, opens the Higher Education Policy Institute’s far-reaching collection of essays, discussing the digital landscape of a modern university and making the case to elevate digital transformation to a strategic level.

Dr Tanvir Ahmad (PhD in Engineering, St Aidan’s College, 2013-17) and Tara Subba (Philosophy and Politics, St Mary’s College, 2013-16) have won awards, with a further five alumni reaching the finals. 

Durham University a cappella group, Northern Lights, have successfully defended their UK title and will compete at their second World Finals in New York in April.

Postgraduate student Anna Weatherburn was awarded gold for a research poster entitled ‘Taking Inspiration from Nature: A New Material for Wind Turbine Blades’. She now progresses to the finals. 

If you’re thinking of learning a language, don’t forget that alumni can benefit from discounted rates for our Languages for All courses. Our new programmes start at the end of April.

We’re celebrating the generosity of our alumni community by sharing inspiring stories from students who have benefitted directly, undertaking research around the world, from Costa Rica to New Zealand.

We’re proud to celebrate the successes of the following alumni. Discover their achievements by using the ‘Read more’ button below.  

Professor Patrick Armstrong (BSc in Geography & Geology, 1960-63; MA in Human Geography, 1966, University College) 

Karen Charlton (née James) (PGCE in Education, University College Stockton, 1997-98)

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Law, St Mary’s College, 1989-92) 

Andrew Dobson (Ecology, St Cuthbert’s Society, 2000-03) 

Ed Gamble (Philosophy, Hatfield College, 2004-07) 

Jeremy Ho (Combined Arts, St Cuthbert’s Society, 2015-18) 

Keir McGovern (Law, St John’s College, 2014-17) 

Simon Mold (English Language & Medieval Literature, 1967-79; PGCE in Education, 1979-801, University College) 

Waleed Noor (Business Finance, Stephenson College, 2001-04) 

Kathy Spencer (née Heap) (Education, College of St Hild & St Bede, 1970-73) and Jeremy Spencer (Education, College of St Hild & St Bede, 1970-73) 

Steve Tunnicliffe (Arabic with Middle East / Islamic Studies, Trevelyan College, 1990-94; MBA, 1999-2003)  

Sally Wainwright (Sociology, Van Mildert College, 1973-76) 

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