Building on Strength, Shaping our Future

Our city has a limit on the numbers of students that can reasonably be accommodated. We will manage our student numbers and accommodation mindful of our impact on Durham. We remain committed to our collegiate model and aim for 40-45 per cent of our full-time students who are taught in Durham to live in University-managed accommodation.

What we are already doing well:

• We are planning our growth carefully by managing student numbers in target subject areas whilst retaining high entry standards.
• We have become more international and more socially and ethnically diverse. 
• We have conducted a thorough review to reprofile our student intake projections and targets at a faculty level. 

We will:

• Undertake dynamic work to keep our programme portfolio under review, with consideration for changing UK and international student demand.   
• Carefully align any changes to our programme portfolio with staff-student ratios and with our accommodation strategy. 
• Ensure the profile of our students supports our wider strategic goals, including access, research, global, regional engagement and financial. 
• Increase and diversify our international student recruitment to a wider range of markets and subjects.
• Adjust our mix of students: 24 per cent of our students will be postgraduate and 36 per cent international by 2026/27.
• Continue to attract a social and international mix of students by further establishing our presences in India, Singapore, Malysia, the USA and elsewhere.
• Establish a Doctoral College and recruit more Postgraduate Research students, increase greater scholarship funding and introduce an improved Graduate Teaching Assistant scheme.
• Continue to work closely with Durham Students’ Union, Durham County Council and the local community on the capacity, quality and price of accommodation within the City of Durham.