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Dialogue
January - February 2020
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Welcome Welcome to the first issue of Dialogue in 2020 and a Happy New Year to you all.
@Durham_Uni Family and friends from around the world joined us when we started the year by celebrating the successes of our students and honorary graduates at Winter Congregation. You can read more about our class of 2020 on page 9. As always, I would like to thank everybody who had a role in making our ceremonies such fantastic events. Following a £2.5 million restoration project, I am pleased to announce the reopening of our Assembly Rooms Theatre in January – just in time for the spring/summer programme of Student Theatre. The annual Durham Drama Festival will take place in February and will showcase the creative talent of our student playwrights.
@DurhamUniversity
@DurhamUniversity
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As a University, we have much more to look forward to in 2020. In April we will formally reopen our Sports and Wellbeing Park after a major £32 million refurbishment. The new Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science Building will open for the academic year 2020/21 and we will open our first new College in 14 years – South College at Mount Oswald. I am delighted to report on the recent successes of two of our academics. Professor Clare McGlynn in our Department of Law has been appointed as an honorary Queen’s Counsel, the highest recognition a non-practising lawyer can receive. Professor Julian (Joe) Elliott, one of our leading education experts, has received the 2020 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Educational and Child Psychology from the British Psychological Society. Many congratulations to Clare and Joe. Finally, I am looking forward to welcoming Dr Wendy Powers as our new Head of University College in June. Wendy’s secondary role will be Associate Vice Provost (Education), where she will use her considerable skills and experience to advance the University’s widening access and participation agendas. I am sure you will join me in making Wendy welcome the next time she is in Durham (ahead of her taking up her new roles). With all best wishes,
Professor Stuart Corbridge Vice-Chancellor and Warden