Two of our leading geographers, Professors Colm O’Cofaigh and Dave Roberts, have received a prestigious Polar Medal from King Charles III.

As we approach the end of 2025, we’re reflecting on some of the achievements, discoveries, and moments that shaped an exceptional 12 months for Durham.

Our pioneering Classics researcher, Prof Arlene Holmes-Henderson, has joined a government project exploring the key factors that influence and shape the future of childhood in the UK.

We are awarding honorary degrees to four distinguished individuals during our Winter Congregation ceremonies at Durham Cathedral on 8 and 9 January 2026.

Professor Chris Stokes, in our Department of Geography, Dr Florence Colleoni, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, and Dr James Kirkham British Antarctic Survey, say the science is clear on glacier change – and the perils of ignoring it are even clearer.

New research reveals how ocean warming triggered the large-scale retreat of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) - offering vital clues for understanding its modern-day vulnerability.

Our geographers are part of international team looking at the possible fate of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in our warming world.  

We’re part of an international team of scientists behind the creation of a new family of organic materials that can conduct ions - atoms or molecules with a net electrical charge - in solids.

Loneliness at work is often invisible, yet it can have powerful effects on leaders and organisations. Drawing on their research, Janey Zheng and Olga Epitropaki from our Business School, alongside Karolina Nieberle from our Department of Psychology, explore why managers experience loneliness, how it shapes leadership, and what helps prevent it from taking hold.

A delegation of leaders and researchers from China’s Wuhan University (WHU) has visited Durham to reaffirm and strengthen the relationship between our institutions.

Miranda Wang, a PhD student in our Law School, has won this year’s international Matariki Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The competition challenges PhD students to explain their research to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes.

The quality of teaching and learning that our students enjoy at Durham has been recognised at a global awards ceremony.

A new University College rowing boat has been named in honour of one the College’s most notable alumni: Guillaume V, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

Online abuse in sport is often dismissed as background noise, yet the case of former footballer Joey Barton shows how digital hostility can cross legal and ethical lines. Drawing on research involving Professor Mariann Hardey from our Business School, this piece explores how influential figures normalise misogyny online as a form of digital violence.

Mohammed Alzuhair, Doctor of Business Administration candidate and researcher at Durham University Business School, examines how recent storms have exposed the vulnerability of the UK’s food supply chain.

The use of e-fuels could be the way forward but there are some barriers. Jon Gluyas, who is a Professor in Geoenergy, Carbon Capture and Storage, takes us through the challenges.

We have been recognised for our commitment to promoting gender equality through an institutional Athena Swan Silver Award.

Researchers in our School of Education are launching a new project to strengthen digital inclusion and address longstanding digital inequalities across North East England. 

Durham University and Durham Sixth Form Centre warmly welcome the Government’s backing to move forward with pace the development of Durham Mathematics School (DMS) - a new specialist sixth form aimed at nurturing mathematical talent across the North of England.