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 strong performance in global and national rankings reinforced the consistent quality of our teaching and world-leading research.
We maintained our position as a world top 100 university in the prestigious QS World University Rankings, a status we have held ever since 2010.
In addition, we were named The Times and The Sunday Times UK University of the Year, recognising the excellence of our staff, students and wider community.
We placed third in the UK in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, and fifth in both the Guardian University Guide and the Complete University Guide.
The Times ranking specifically recognised our excellence in preparing our students for graduate careers, naming us joint runner-up for University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2026.
Durham academics continued to transform lives worldwide throughout 2025 with their pioneering research.
Our archaeologists helped uncover the Melsonby Hoard, a cache of over 800 Iron Age artefacts discovered in Yorkshire, UK.
It represents one of the most significant finds of its kind for decades and our experts were key in excavating and cataloguing the items.
In astrophysics, our researchers challenged a long-held theory about the future of our galaxy.
They discovered that the Milky Way may collide with Andromeda in seven to eight billion years’ time, significantly later than previously predicted.
Meanwhile, our international presence continued to grow through active membership in major global networks including Arqus, the Coimbra Group and the Matariki Network of Universities.
This year saw significant anniversaries for the University, with our Business School marking 60 years and settling into the new state-of-the-art Waterside Building in Durham city centre.
St Mary’s and Van Mildert colleges celebrated their 125th and 60th anniversaries, respectively.
In the spring, we were honoured to welcome His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla to Durham Cathedral for a special service in the countdown to Easter.
Our cultural contribution was also strong in 2025, hosting award-winning exhibitions such as Shakespeare Recovered, a major collaboration with the Palace Museum in Beijing, and supporting the Lumiere light festival.
Of course, students are at the heart of what we do, and in October we warmly welcomed 8,002 new undergraduates from 120 countries.
Our global alumni community remains vibrant and active, with more than 100 events hosted across 22 countries in 2025.
All of these achievements are made possible thanks to our extraordinary University community, and we’re looking forward to what more we can achieve together in 2026.
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