Image: Darren Price on Flickr

Arts and Humanities at Durham University has been ranked 19th in the world according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, marking the subject’s sixth year in the world’s top thirty. This is a considerable rise from the subject’s previous position at 27th last year. Other subjects at the University have also placed within these rankings with Law being in the world top fifty as well as Education, Social Sciences and Physical Sciences placing within the top 100.

The Arts and Humanities departments have seen many successes this year, including the uncovering of the mystery behind a painting by renowned French post-imperialist painter Pierre Bonnard in research from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures as well as the University’s involvement in the unveiling of a commemorative plaque dedicated to the poet Basil Bunting, whose poetry is held in an extensive archive at Durham University, at Morden Tower in Newcastle, where Bunting gave his first public reading of Briggflatts in 1965.

Speaking of the Arts and Humanities faculties achievement, Professor Stuart Corbridge, Vice-Chancellor said: “To see Arts and Humanities rise to its highest ever position and be classed among the World Top 20 is wonderful and demonstrates our commitment to offering a truly outstanding combination of education, research and wider student experience across the University.

“This achievement, and the continued strong performance of other subject areas in this prestigious global ranking, is a credit to all our staff and students who make Durham the special place it is and demonstrates the value and opportunities that come from studying and working at Durham.”

This year has seen a sustained strong performance in rankings for Durham, ranking fourth in the Guardian University Guide, sixth in the The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 and seventh in the Complete University Guide 2021.