Durham University is pulling “some academic and all college-based activities” fromStockton’s Queen’s Campus beginning next year it has been confirmed.
A statement released by the university confirms months of speculation that Durham University is to “repurpose” Stockton’s Queen’s Campus to be part of an International Foundation College.
The academic and college-based activities will be relocated to Durham City and the surrounding area.
Queen’s Campus, currently home to around 2,000 full-time students, the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, the John Snow and Stephenson residential colleges and the Wolfson Research Institute, has been subject to a review process in recent months.
Now proposals have been approved to turn the campus into an International Foundation College, delivering “pathway” courses into degreeeducation.
Academic units, potentially including the School of Medicine, will be relocated to Durham City centre or nearby.
The statement issued by the university said: “Following wide consultation, Durham University’s governing body, Council, has approved the relocation of some academic and all college-based activities at its Queen’s Campus to Durham City or its near vicinity. The relocation will commence in September 2017.
“Council also approved the proposal to seek to repurpose Queen’s Campus in part as an International Foundation College.”
Regarding the decision, professor Stuart Corbridge, vice-chancellor and warden, Durham University, said: “We remain committed to both Stockton and Durham and are excited by these developments, following extensive consultation and discussion internally and more widely.
“These plans are in the early stages and we look forward to continuing to engage with staff, students, local communities and other stakeholders as they progress.
“Our continued presence in both Stockton and Durham will be accompanied by sustained investment in the region.”
In April, while the proposals were under consideration, Prof Corbridge said: “A wide range of views was given to the Queen’s Campus Working Group and it is clear that Queen’s Campus and the wider Stockton surroundings are held in great affection by many people and that strong partnerships have formed there with the wider university community.
“The outcomes of the consultation process helped shape a well evidenced report which contains proposals that are now going through the university’s governance process.
“These proposals centre on a potential repurposing of Queen’s Campus to deliver an International Foundation College, or equivalent body, further demonstrating the university’s commitment to the educational role of the campus, its staff and its contribution to the local economy of the Tees Valley.
“The proposals also call for the relocation of some core academic units to Durham City or its immediate vicinity.”
