We are committed to delivering solutions to the Net Zero transition and are well-placed to contribute to delivering solutions in the broad areas of energy, food, health and wellbeing, social impact and water. 

Staff and Student Training and Assessment on our Policies

Durham University provides equality of opportunity, values diversity and promotes a holistic ethical culture of diversity and inclusion. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of what we do here at Durham University. We provide mandatory training on environmental and social sustainability. Training on environmental sustainability and our core values is provided to staff at all levels. This includes, inter alia, mandatory training such as specific modules on tackling unconscious bias (Our Unconscious Bias course is available as an e-learning course for all members of staff at Durham and highly recommended for our students), for staff involved in recruitment panels and staff serving on progression and promotion committees.

We assess in our mandatory environmental sustainability module for staff and students against the  learning outcomes:   

• To understand the causes, drivers and impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss
• To express their concerns, hopes, and values regarding sustainability and sustainable action
• To recognise the key components of local and global responses to climate change and biodiversity loss
• To articulate appropriate personal/community-level responses to climate change and biodiversity loss

The EDI Required Learning, now known as “Creating an Inclusive Durham”, is an institutional requirement for all staff and provides the opportunity to communicate with and to staff about the purpose and values of the institution, the strategic direction regarding EDI, and share positive messaging about the behavioural expectations and inclusive environments the university wants to foster.

The aim of this programme is to:

Raise awareness and promote an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their background or identity.

By completing this required, we will have: 

• Raised awareness and understanding about the concepts of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Gained knowledge about the legal responsibilities and internal policies and processes.
• Gained understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Understood the importance of creating a respectful and inclusive community across different cultures, identities, and backgrounds.
• Ensured understanding of reporting mechanisms and support systems

For students the course “Consent Matters: Boundaries, Respect, and Positive Intervention” is a 1-hour self-paced online course covers the areas of consent, communication, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention. All new students (UGs and PGs) are expected to take this course as part of their induction to the University and are assessed on 

Consent matters is an engaging online course with three main aims. Firstly, to help you understand sexual consent, so that you know when you have it and how to recognise situations when it can and can't be given, whatever your gender or sexuality. Secondly, to support you in thinking about your own boundaries and how to talk about them. Thirdly, to demonstrate different ways you could step in if you see or hear something you're uncomfortable with and make your university community a better place.

Assessment is on the overall objectives of the course:​

• Raise awareness and knowledge of sexual consent

• Build skills for healthy relationships, including communication and boundary setting

• Develop positive interventions to look out for others in difficult situation

• Build safer communities by encouraging consent culture and positive intervention

Net Zero Commitment

As part of our Strategy Refresh, Durham University has adopted a new Sustainability Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy and publicly committed to reaching Net Zero, in our Ambition statement 2023. Our vision is to ensure that Durham University delivers its mission of excellence in education, research and wider student experience in the most sustainable way possible. We will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) to achieve Net Zero by 2035, or before. This target represents a Science Based Target and is aligned with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. In addition, we set ourselves an ambitious target that tackles, as quickly as possible, our Scope 3 emissions – with a long-term objective of striving to achieve Absolute Zero emissions by 2050.

Energy Management & Water Reuse

Durham University's policy on the reuse of water substantiates our mission to make Durham one of the most environmentally sustainable universities in the UK. To achieve this goal will require us to clearly demonstrate that our energy consumption and reuse of water lead to achieving sustainable practices that can be promoted to our stakeholders, occupants and local communities