Durham University makes a major contribution to the success of our city, county, and region, as well the UK as a whole.
One independent study put the value of the University to the UK at £1.9 billion GVA (Gross Value Added), and found it supported more than 17,000 jobs.
Another found the combined value of the N8, a partnership of ourselves and seven other research intensive universities in Northern England, to be £18.8 billion, and that the eight supported nearly 100,000 jobs.
Driving the economy
We're working with Durham County Council to create a transformational Innovation District in Durham City; and the Offshore Catapult and Newcastle University to deliver the Energy Central Institute, part of the Energy Central Campus in Blyth, Northumberland, which will deliver skills to support the growth of the offshore wind energy sector.
Our Smart and Scale programme is helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow, our graduates are starting great new companies such as Low Carbon Materials, and we lead the North East Strategic Commercialisation Project, a new five-year programme involving North East England's five universities aimed at strengthening collaboration between universities and businesses, that recently secured £8.9 million in Research England funding.
Northern Accelerator, a collaboration between Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York universities, has led to 50 spin-out businesses, funded 122 pre-incorporation projects, and placed 50 executives into spin-outs.
Recently, we've joined forces with Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, and Teesside universities to form Universities for North East England, a unified voice of higher education in North East England, advocating for evidence-based policy development, investment, and widening access and participation in higher education.
Breaking down barriers
We're also breaking down barriers to success for people from all backgrounds – supporting schools, working to recruit students from under-represented groups, and offering sector-leading financial support to students where it's needed.
Already one in five of our UK undergraduate students come to us through a project designed to widen access to university. But we want to go further. Our new Access and Participation Plan is our most ambitious yet.
Supporting our communities
We've been part of our region for nearly 200 years, and now more than ever we're committed to its future development.
We're working to expand educational opportunities through the Durham Learning Alliance, a partnership with four local further education colleges. Our Bishop Big Dig project saw schools and community groups rediscover their own past through archaeological excavations in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
Recently, we've partnered with the Foundation of Light charity, and are working on a Youth Health Hub in Stanley, County Durham.
We know public finances are tight. We're stepping up our game to make every penny of public money count.
