April 30 is International Jazz Day, which was designated by the UN to celebrate jazz music worldwide. Professor Andy Hamilton is the Director of Aesthetics, Ethics, and Politics Research Cluster in the Department of Philosophy and he discusses his personal interest in jazz as well as the philosophy of improvisation below.

Congratulations to Durham University Esports and Gaming who finished 3rd in the NSE (National Student Esports) British University Esports Championship powered by Intel, the official esports competition of British universities.

We have further strengthened our ties to The Alan Turing Institute and our connections with other top-ranking universities by becoming a member of the Institute’s newly launched Turing University Network.

After winning their first quarter-final match but being narrowly beaten in another, the round-robin format sees the team go up against UCL in a must-win game at the later than usual time of 9pm, 24th April on BBC2.

April 23 is Spanish Language Day, one of a series of Language Days selected by the United Nations to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. Dr Yarí Pérez Marín, an Associate Professor and Director of Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, discusses her research as well as the duality of the Spanish language.

Our astronomers are part of an international team behind the successful first research flight of an innovative balloon-borne telescope that will investigate the mystery of dark matter.

Our Careers and Enterprise Team are inviting students to share their experiences and have an input to their services, by taking part in a series of Focus Groups and completing an online survey. The team are encouraging students to provide feedback on the activities and services they offer, to ensure they are meeting the needs of students seeking information or advice on employment.

Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O'Brien shares some events taking place in Durham this spring.

A new research study has revealed why some children may be slower to learn words than others.

April 20 is Chinese Language Day, one of a series of Language Days selected by the United Nations to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. Dr Samuel Horlor, a Teaching Fellow in Ethnomusicology in our Music Department, discusses his research on Chinese popular music with a particular focus on audiency, street music, and music's embeddedness in everyday urban life.

Work is now well underway on the first phase of the Norman Chapel Conservation Project. Visitors to Palace Green will be aware of the on-going work, with contractors and building equipment on site since November 2022. This first phase of the project has been part funded with £80k provided by the Wolfson Foundation towards the cost of restoration.

This week marks Earth Day (22 April), an awareness day which focuses the world to consider its impact on the Earth and encourage further investment in our planet.