Durham University Business School

What Durham University Business School does

Durham University Business School is a constituent faculty of Durham University, a UK public research university founded in 1832 and operating under a Royal Charter with charitable status. The Business School delivers taught postgraduate programmes (Masters, Full-time and Online MBA, Doctorate in Business Administration including the Global DBA), supported by a wider university portfolio of 100+ undergraduate and 90+ postgraduate degrees across 17 colleges. International students are routed through the Durham University International Study Centre (a Study Group partnership) via International Foundation Year, Pre-Masters and English preparation pathways, and through a global agent network spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Research and doctoral training are anchored by UK Research Council funding (AHRC, EPSRC, NERC, UKRI), with Durham leading the NERC-funded IAPETUS2 doctoral training partnership.

Technology infrastructure is based on Blackboard Learn Ultra for virtual learning, Banner Self-Service for student information, and a specialised Event Management System used by Event Durham for conference and venue operations. The technology stack is functional and integration-oriented but not described as differentiated or proprietary.

The business model is fee-and-grant driven. Revenue streams include UK and international tuition fees (undergraduate, postgraduate taught, postgraduate research), accommodation and catering across the 17 colleges, research grants and contracts, scholarship and bursary flows (university-funded, alumni, corporate, government), and commercial venue hire via Event Durham (capacity up to 500 guests). Pricing is annual subscription-style, with means-tested bursaries (e.g., Student Employability Fund), alumni discounts (10% Alumni Fee Scholarship through 2028-29), and targeted corporate scholarships (Ørsted, Santander, Lothbury). The institution does not separately disclose Business School revenue, and operates as a non-profit educational body rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

Durham University Business School

Legal name

Durham University

Website

https://dur.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Durham University Business School is a faculty of Durham University (founded 1832, Russell Group) delivering Masters, MBA, Online MBA, Durham DBA and Global DBA programmes, alongside international pathway programmes via Study Group and a global agent network across multiple regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Graduate & Professional School Preparation (EDALABAI)

Keywords

• Business school education
• Postgraduate degree programs
• Executive MBA programs
• Higher education services
• Doctoral business administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition Fees: Fee income from UK/EU undergraduate students paying tuition fees annually, with amounts varying by programme and subject area
2. Postgraduate Tuition Fees: Fee income from taught Masters programmes (MA, MSc, LLM, PGCE, MBA) and postgraduate research programmes (MRes, PhD)
3. International Student Fees: Higher fee rates for international students studying in the UK, with programme-specific fees listed in the course database
4. Scholarships and Bursaries: University-funded, externally-funded (alumni, corporate), and government-backed financial support to attract and retain students
5. Conference and Event Services: Event Durham generates revenue from conferences, weddings, accommodation, and venue hire services across university colleges and teaching spaces
6. College Accommodation and Catering: Residence charges for undergraduate, postgraduate, and visiting students across university colleges
7. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from UK research councils (AHRC, EPSRC, NERC, UKRI), charitable trusts, and industry partners for research activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Durham University Business School offers postgraduate taught Masters programmes (MA, MSc, LLM), Full-time and Online MBA programmes, and Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) programmes as core educational offerings. It also delivers Pre-Masters and International Foundation Year pathway programmes for international students, and operates Event Durham providing conference, venue, and event management services across the university's colleges and teaching spaces.

Product overview

Durham University Business School is part of Durham University, offering a portfolio of educational programmes including postgraduate taught Masters programmes (MA, MSc, LLM), Full-time and Online MBA programmes, and Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) programmes. The Business School, in collaboration with the wider University, provides pathway programmes through the Durham University International Study Centre including Pre-Masters and International Foundation Year. Supporting services include scholarship programmes (Alumni Fee Scholarship, Masters Achievement Awards, MBA Scholarships, DBA Scholarships), and Event Durham which offers conference and event management services with venues across the University. The institution does not operate as a traditional software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Durham Business School Masters Programmes

Quantifiable outcome

• QS World University Rankings 2027: 85th globally, up 9 places from previous year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ØrstedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partnership with Ørsted UK, the leading offshore wind developer. Ørsted offers annual bursaries to students on Energy-related Master's programmes including MSc in Sustainability, Energy and Development, MSc in Renewable and Sustainable Energy, and MSc Energy Engineering Management.
• Study GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Study Group to deliver Durham University International Study Centre programmes including International Foundation Year, Pre-Masters, and English Language preparation courses. Provides pathway programmes for international students not meeting direct entry requirements.
• Scott LogicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Scott Logic and Trevelyan College offering Global Masters Scholarship for students from low or middle-income countries studying Masters in Mathematical Sciences or Masters in Particles, Strings and Cosmology.
• Durham CathedralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDurham Cathedral offers Choral Scholarships approximately £4,021.03 per academic year for undergraduate and postgraduate students, open to students regardless of college membership.
• NERC (IAPETUS2 Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartment of Earth Sciences is lead partner for NERC funded IAPETUS2 partnership including Universities of Glasgow, Newcastle, St Andrews, Heriot-Watt, Stirling, British Geological Survey, and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology for doctoral training in Earth Sciences.
• British Royal Academy of EngineeringminorOthersProfessor Sarah Hainsworth OBE FREng, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), named among UK's top engineers in special list celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
• Royal Society of ChemistryminorOthersDurham researchers from Chemistry and Biosciences Departments recognized as part of international team awarded prestigious 2026 Horizon Prize by Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Royal Astronomical SocietyminorOthersProfessor David Alexander from Physics Department elected as trustee of Royal Astronomical Society, one of UK's leading organisations for astronomy and geophysics.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HEC Paris: Premier European business school offering MBA, Masters, DBA and Executive Education with strong brand and global applicant funnel. Comparable in targeting the same international professional learner segment as Durham Business School but operating at significantly higher scale and brand pull.

Direct peers

• Judge Business School (University of Cambridge): Cambridge's business school offering MBA, MFin, MPhil and Executive Education within another collegiate UK Russell Group university. Comparable programme portfolio, accreditation profile and employer reputation orientation.
• Cranfield School of Management: UK specialist business school focused on MBA, Executive MBA, Masters and DBA programmes with a heavy executive education book. Comparable in its MBA/DBA-led portfolio and reliance on professional learner cohorts.
• University of Edinburgh Business School: Edinburgh's business school within a Russell Group university delivering MBA, MSc and Executive Education. Comparable in Scottish/UK Russell Group positioning, Masters-heavy portfolio and international student recruitment.
• Lancaster University Management School: Triple-accredited UK business school at a research university offering MBA, MSc and Executive Education. Comparable in programme structure, accreditation profile and domestic + international applicant mix.
• Imperial College Business School: London-based business school within a STEM-focused Russell Group university offering MBA, MSc, Executive Education and DBA. Comparable international applicant base and emphasis on business analytics/finance specialisations.
• Saïd Business School (University of Oxford): Oxford's business school within a Russell Group research university offering MBA, Executive MBA, Masters and Executive Education. Same collegiate / research-intensive DNA as Durham Business School, competing for similar UK and international professional applicants.
• London Business School: Major UK-based business school offering MBA, Masters, Executive Education and DBA-style programmes to a globally recruited student body. Directly comparable to Durham Business School in programme mix, professional learner focus and international recruitment model.
• Warwick Business School: Highly ranked UK business school at a Russell Group university with strong Distance Learning MBA, MSc and Executive Education portfolios. Directly competes with Durham Business School for professional learners and international postgraduates.
• Alliance Manchester Business School: Manchester's business school at a major Russell Group university offering MBA, MSc, DBA and Executive Education with global centres. Comparable scale, programme breadth and international pathway strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DUBusSchool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DurhamUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/DUBusSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/durham-university-business-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/durhamuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@durhamuniversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Durham University Business School