Durham University

The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a public research university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837. It was one of the first universities to open in England for more than 600 years and has a claim towards being the third oldest university in England.

Durham is a collegiate university, with its main functions divided between the academic departments of the university and 16 colleges. In general, the departments perform research and provide lectures to students, while the colleges are responsible for the domestic arrangements and welfare of undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and some university staff.

The university is considered very prestigious and has been included as part of an unofficial British "Ivy League" of elite universities by both The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. It is currently ranked between 3rd and 7th places by the latest league tables of the British universities. "Long established as the leading alternative to Oxford and Cambridge", the university attracts "a largely middle class student body" according to The Times Good University Guide. Durham has the second highest proportion of privately educated students in the country. The university was named Sunday Times University of the Year in 2005, having previously been shortlisted for the award in 2004.

Current academics include 15 Fellows of the Royal Society, 18 Fellows of the British Academy, 16 Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences, 2 Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering and 2 Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

The university became a member of the Russell Group of UK universities in August 2012, it was invited to join after previously being a member of the 1994 Group. Durham is also affiliated with several university groups including the N8 Research Partnership, the Matariki Network of Universities and the Faith and Globalisation Network of Universities.

The chancellor of the university is Sir Thomas Allen, who succeeded Bill Bryson in January 2012. The post-nominal letters of graduates have Dunelm (the Latin abbreviation for Durham) attached to indicate the university.