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Working with Business

We actively partner with regional, national and international organisations making connections to our academic expertise, student talent and equipment and facilities.

We have a range of business support programmes available and would love to hear about your ideas and requirements. 

Orbit is our enterprise zone, located at NETPark in Sedgefield, a hub of innovation for ambitious science and technology companies.

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Contact the Business and Partnerships Team

Knowledge Exchange and Expertise

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) can help your business to innovate and grow.

KTPs are a leading programme from Innovate UK that brings together a company, an academic team and high calibre graduate, known as an Associate, to work on an innovative project. Improve your competitiveness and productivity, through better access to research, technology and skills.

 

12-36 months is the average length of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project.
70% of Associates are offered a permanent job by the company, when the project ends.

Recruiting Students and Graduates

We're one of the UK's leading research universities with world-class expertise in science, engineering and technology, business, social science, the arts and humanities.

Our graduates are some of the most sought after in the UK, offering a range of knowledge, skills and experience developed by excellent teaching and internationally rated research. Browse opportunities to promote your vacancies and engage with students.

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Our partnerships are leading the way in research and innovation

Play video 1

Planning for Uncertainty in Offshore Wind

With a £45,000 grant from EPSRC IAA (Impact Acceleration Account) we employed a post-doctoral academic to work on a secondment basis with our partner Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, developing prototype software.

View our full playlist

Join our mailing list

Join our mailing list to receive information about funding opportunities, programme updates, student and graduate recruitment opportunities, news and events.

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Business News

Durham Innovation District seeks joint venture partner to bring trailblazing vision to life

We’re working with Durham County Council and global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young to launch the opportunity for a joint venture partner to be involved in the cutting-edge research and business accelerator, Durham Innovation District.
Panel session at the Durham Innovation District launch

New £5m research centre driving economic growth and sustainability

A new joint research initiative focusing on energy systems integration has been awarded £5m by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to help boost UK economic growth and address regional needs.
An image of solar panels and wind turbines with a distant industrial landscape

Upcoming events

Photography as a Research Method - 23rd and 24th April at Durham University.

Thursday 23 April 2026 - Friday 24 April 2026
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
W007 and W414 - Geography Building
Poster with details on the event's location, time, speakers

Copyright and Intangible Cultural Heritages in China: Conflict, Compatibility, and Coexistence

Monday 27 April 2026 - Monday 27 April 2026
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
PCL 058
Copyright and Intangible Cultural Heritages in China Conflict, Compatibility, and Coexistence

Dancing Across Disciplines

Tuesday 28 April 2026 - Tuesday 28 April 2026
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Tom Percival Annex
A long-exposure photograph captures a dancer in a dark dress on a stage, with their movement creating a blurred, ethereal trail of multiple overlapping arms and figures against a black background.

Join us for fika!

Wednesday 29 April 2026 - Wednesday 29 April 2026
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
IMH (Confluence Building)
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Research and Innovation Services

Research and Innovation Services
Durham University
Boldon House,
Wheatlands Way,
Pity Me,
Durham,
DH1 5FA.

E: business.gateway@durham.ac.uk