Durham University is a university in Durham, England. It is a university established in 1832 under an Act of Parliament and registered in 1837 by the Royal Charter. After Oxford and Cambridge, it has a history of more than 600 years and is therefore known as one of the third largest universities in England. As a university, its main functions are distributed between the university’s academic department and its 17 colleges. Generally speaking, each department is responsible for research and teaching for students, while the university is responsible for its domestic arrangements and welfare.
The university was a member of the research team in 1994 and later became a member of the Russell team of the British Research University. Durham is also affiliated with the regional N8 research partner organization and international university groups, including the Matariki University Network and Coimbra Group. This university building includes 63 protected buildings, from the 11th century Durham Castle to the 1930s decorative chapel. The university also cooperates with Durham Cathedral to own and manage the Durham World Heritage Site. The university’s ownership of the World Heritage Site includes Durham Castle, Palace Green and surrounding buildings, including the historic Cosin’s Library. It was the Sunday Times University of the Year in 2005, the Sunday Times and Sunday Times Sports University in 2015, and it won the Queen’s Anniversary Award in 2018. Volunteering and outreach activities were awarded the Queen’s Volunteer Service Award in 2020.