colleges are governed and owned directly by the university itself (the exceptions being St John's and St Chad's), the legal status of the Durham colleges as listed bodies is similar to those at Oxford and Cambridge, setting them apart from those at the universities of Kent, Lancaster, and York. However, unlike at Oxford and Cambridge, there is no formal teaching at Durham colleges (with the exception of Cranmer Hall theological college within St John's), although colleges are active in research. All of the college heads are ex officio members of the university senate.
Formal dinners (known as "formals") are held at every college; gowns are worn to these events at just over half of the colleges. There is a great deal of intercollegiate rivalry, particularly in rowing and other sporting activities. There is also rivalry between the older "Bailey" colleges and the newer "Hill" colleges on Elvet Hill.
The 17 colleges are:
=== Governance ===
The university is governed by the statutes put in place by the Universities of Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne Act, 1963 and subsequently amended by council and approved by the King in Council, most recently in 2023, and by ordinances passed by council.
Council is the governing body, the corporation and the charity trustees of the university. It is composed of eleven internal and thirteen external ('lay') members. There are three ex-officio members internal to the university: the vice-chancellor and warden, the deputy vice-chancellor and provost, and the president of Durham Student's Union, along with seven appointed members from the university, who may not be members of the university executive committee and five of whom must be members of academic staff, and one appointed postgraduate student nominated by the student's union. There are also twelve appointed lay members (not being teachers or salaried staff in the university or any of its colleges), and the Dean of Durham as an ex-officio lay member. The chair of the council, the deputy chair, and the senior independent governor …
