Misplaced Pages

The chancellor is the ceremonial head of Durham University, with the formal duties of conferring degrees at congregations and of being an ambassador for the university. They are nominated by the council and senate in joint session and appointed by convocation, determined by the majority of votes of members of congregation present and voting. The incumbent is Fiona Hill, who was appointed by convocation in November 2022 and installed in June 2023.

Until 1909, the university was governed by the dean and chapter of Durham Cathedral, with the warden (held ex officio by the Dean of Durham from 1862) being both the formal and executive head of the university. Following the implementation of statutes made in 1909 under the University of Durham Act 1908, the warden became the chancellor and the sub-warden the vice-chancellor, meaning Durham was, like most other British universities, headed by a chancellor.

• 1909–1912 George William Kitchin, Dean of Durham
• 1913–1918 Henry Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland
• 1919–1928 John Lambton, 3rd Earl of Durham
• 1929–1930 Alan Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland
• 1931–1949 Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry
• 1950–1957 G. M. Trevelyan
• 1958–1969 Lawrence Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough
• 1971–1980 Malcolm MacDonald
• 1981–1990 Dame Margot Fonteyn (first non-royal female chancellor of a British university)
• 1992–2004 Sir Peter Ustinov
• 2005–2011 Bill Bryson
• 2012–July 2022 Sir Thomas Allen
• From 2023 Fiona Hill

See also

• List of vice-chancellors and wardens of Durham University
• List of Durham University people
• History of Durham University

References

1. "Statutes". Statutes and Regulations. Durham University. 7. The Chancellor. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
2. "Regulation 9 Convocation". Statutes and Regulations. Durham University. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
3. "Regulation 2 The Officers of the University". Statutes and Regulations. Durham University. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
4. ^ "Fiona Hill to become Durham University chancellor". BBC News. 28 November 2022.
5. "Dr Fiona Hill appointed Durham University chancellor". BBC News. 29 June 2023.
6. J. T. Fowler. Durham university; earlier foundations and present colleges. F. E. Robinson & co., 1904. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
7. Nigel Watson (2007). The Durham Difference. James & James (Publishers) Ltd, London.
8. ^ "Durham University Records: Central Administration and Officers". Chancellors. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
9. "Women of Castle". Durham Castle. Durham University. Margot Fonteyn.
10. John Crace (15 November 2005). "Bill Bryson: The accidental chancellor". The Guardian.
11. "'Real Billy Elliot' is made university chancellor". BBC News. 26 June 2012.
12. "Opera star bows out as university chancellor". BBC News. 28 June 2022.

v t e Durham University
People	Chancellor Fiona Hill Vice-Chancellor & Warden Karen O'Brien Visitor The Bishop of Durham List of Durham University people
Colleges	Collingwood Grey Hatfield John Snow Josephine Butler South St Aidan's St Chad's St Cuthbert's St Hild & St Bede St John's Cranmer Hall St Mary's Stephenson Trevelyan University Ustinov Van Mildert
Departments and research institutes	Business Engineering Law Music Physics Institute of Advanced Study Institute for Computational Cosmology Energy Institute Wolfson Research Institute International Boundaries Research Unit
Student life	Palatinate (newspaper) Purple Radio Scarves Senior man Solar Car Students' Union Durham Union (debating) Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron University Royal Naval Unit Northumbria Conservative Association
Sports	Team Durham Boat Club Cricket Swimming Men's Lacrosse Rugby Union Competitions Boat Race
Places	Assembly Rooms Theatre Botanic Garden Castle Library Cosin's Library Maiden Castle Museum of Archaeology Observatory Oriental Museum Racecourse Rushford Court Teaching and Learning Centre
History	Third oldest university in England Bishop Cosin's Hall Ushaw College overview
Chairs	Al-Sabah Chair Bede Chair Lightfoot Chair Michael Ramsey Chair Ogden Chair Sharjah Chair St Hilda Chair Van Mildert Chair
Other	Academic dress Durham Concerto Heraldry Higginson Lecture Palatinate purple Teikyo University of Japan Durham Palestine Educational Trust
Category Commons

• Durham University
• Chancellors of Durham University
• Lists of people associated with Durham University
• Lists of university and college leaders
• 1909 establishments in England
• Lists of academic chancellors and vice chancellors
• History of Durham University