Research to empower and inspire
We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching, learning and research excellence. We are a world top 100 university, with 12 of our subjects ranked in the world top 50 and 19 in the world top 100. We conduct innovative and impactful research to transform lives and make a difference, globally and locally: research to empower and inspire.
Explore our latest research news
Research Impact at Durham
Read about our Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 impact case studies.
Latest news
Capping energy costs will damage climate change progress in developing countries
Developing and emerging countries will fail to make any significant contribution to global sustainability efforts, unless governments stop capping electricity prices, according to new research from Associate Professor Laura Marsiliani and Associate Professor Thomas Renstrom alongside colleagues from North South University in Bangladesh and Copenhagen Business School.
Media deference to the royals must have a limit – just look at how Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson were treated
Professor Tim Luckhurst, Principal of South College, discusses why media must avoid deference to monarchy, in order to fulfil their role of holding power to account.
Queen Elizabeth II: the history of royal funerals and how this one will be different
Professor Philip Williamson from our Department of History shares his insights on the history of royal funerals.
Waiting for Ethiopia: Berbera port upgrade raises Somaliland’s hopes for trade
Professor Jutta Bakonyi from our School of Government and International Affairs talks about the improvements in Berbera port that could elevate Somaliland's international trades.
Constant fear of eviction: how poor people experience life in Somaliland’s growing cities
Professor Jutta Bakonyi from our School of Government and International Affairs along with colleagues from University of Hargeisa, Somalia sheds light on the living experience of poor people in Somaliland cities.
High air pollution in cities contributes to firms being less efficient at investing
Firms that are based in a city with high levels of air pollution have much lower efficiency when it comes to corporate investments, according to new research from Guanming He, Associate Professor in Accounting, and Tiantian Lin, from Beijing Jiaotong University.
Friction, Lubrication and Rheology at the Nano and Mesoscale
We are delighted to share the success of the FLRN 2022 Conference in spite of the impact of the concurrent COVID and heat waves! Following on the positive feedback on the NanoLubrication 2021 Conference, Miro Cafolla (Physics, CMP) organised a meeting also this year (20-21 July 2022) with the generous support of the Institute of Advanced Studies.
Fate of the world’s biggest ice sheet is in our hands
The fate of the world’s biggest ice sheet is in our hands, researchers say.
Majority of customers have a positive experience with customer services robots
Interacting with robots triggers emotions of joy, love, surprise, interest and excitement for customers, whilst discontent is mainly expressed when customers cannot use service robots due to them malfunctioning, according to new research conducted by Dr Zhibin Lin, Associate Professor of Marketing, alongside colleagues from Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, Audencia Business School and Jimei University.
Durham History Department ranked 35th best in world
We’re delighted to report that the History department has moved up two places to 35th in the 2022 QS World University Rankings by subject
Securing Scotland’s independence: Moving beyond process?
Aileen McHarg, Professor of Public Law and Human Rights at Durham Law School, discusses the paths to independence for Scotland following the First Minister's statement, including a new 'plan C' - the next UK General Election.
Durham hosts international meeting on protecting cultural heritage
Experts from around the world met in Durham to discuss how to protect cultural heritage at risk of destruction from human and natural disasters.
Global Culture
Interested in how the cultural activities of Durham's staff and student bodies enrich life worldwide? Head to the Global Culture page to find out.