School of Government and International Affairs - Durham University

28/08/2026

Earlier this month, Era Sakhuja, a MA student in Politics and International Relations, represented SGIA and Durham University at the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Asia Conference 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
🌏The conference brought together students and young professionals from around the world to exchange ideas, build connections, and engage with pressing issues facing Asia and the wider international community.
📸 Here are some photos from Era’s trip, along with her reflections on this exciting experience.

"More than 70 countries were represented at the conference, with students and young professionals attending from across the world. The most interesting thing for me was seeing how differently people approached the same issues depending on where they came from and what they had experienced. Discussions covered international relations, public policy, technology, development and global governance, and there was a lot to think about outside the sessions too."

"A highlight for me was talking to Dr Brindha Jeyaraman about agentic AI and technical transparency. I asked what policymakers can do when new technological risks are emerging and broad principles still need to be turned into practical frameworks. I also attended sessions on Southeast Asian strategic autonomy, multilateralism, agricultural resilience, community health, education and geopolitical resilience. It was a valuable opportunity to hear different viewpoints and understand why there is rarely one straightforward answer to issues affecting countries in very different ways."

"I came back to Durham with fresh ideas, new friendships and a better understanding of how global issues are discussed by people from different parts of the world. I am very thankful to the SGIA EDI Committee and Education Committee for giving me the opportunity to experience this first-hand. I hope that by sharing what I learnt, I can encourage other students to make the most of similar opportunities and help contribute to an inclusive and internationally engaged community at Durham."

26/08/2026

💉 Did you know you may be eligible for the MenB vaccine?

If you’re under 25, a first-year undergraduate, and a first-time university student, you could be eligible to get the MenB vaccine.

🎓 It’s worth checking whether you’re eligible and making sure you have the protection available to you.

👉 Find out more on the Health & Wellbeing Hub

02/07/2026

🎓✨ As Summer Congregation begins, we're celebrating the achievements of all our graduating students. We're incredibly proud of everything you've accomplished and can't wait to see where your next chapter takes you.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!! 🎉

02/07/2026

🌞🧁🍰 Before everyone headed off to the summer, SGIA staff came together for our End of Year After Tea to catch up, reflect on the year, and (of course!) enjoy drinks and cake.
Special thanks to Dr Anouk Rigterink for organising!
Wishing all our students a wonderful summer. 🍃

23/06/2026

"Earlier this term, a group of Durham University social scientists and their counterparts at Monash University and Monash University Malaysia got together in Kuala Lumpur to discuss some of the big issues in global health, climate change, and public administration. I am so grateful for having the opportunity to be inspired and rejuvenated by such an all-star team, and for everyone who worked to make this happen". Dr Renu Singh, Assistant Professor in Comparative Politics at SGIA

18/06/2026

We have been ranked 85th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up nine places from last year, and in the world top 50 for Employer Reputation🎉

Professor Karen O’Brien, our Vice-Chancellor and Warden, said: “To rise nine places to 85th in the QS World University Rankings is a tremendous achievement, in an outstanding year for Durham University.

“That employers rank us among the world’s top 50 universities is particularly important for our students and graduates, indicating the exceptional value that a Durham degree holds in equipping students for work and preparing them for career success.”

The QS World University Rankings are widely acknowledged as the most influential university rankings globally.

Read more: www.durham.ac.uk/discover/qs-world-university-rankings/

13/05/2026

In the post-teaching months of May and June, our staff members are busy marking, writing, and attending/organising exciting research events. ✨ There will be a couple of them happening across SGIA in the coming weeks. Here starting with the very first "Political Behaviour Workshop" at Durham University, organised by the Centre for Institutions and Political Behaviour (CIPB) at SGIA, which took place on Monday 11 May. 👏🏻
Scholars visiting from IE University, Michigan State University, ETH Zürich, LSE, and Università Bocconi attended the event. We had a great line-up of international and Durham-based scholars covering issues ranging from commercial governance and migration policy to public goods provision and bureaucratic responsiveness.

11/05/2026

🎉Congratulations to SGIA researchers David Caldwell, Gidon Cohen and Nick Vivyan on winning the Environmental Politics Article of the Year 2025! 🎉

Their award-winning paper is titled 'Long-run trends in partisan polarization of climate policy-relevant attitudes across countries’.

From the editorial team: "This paper makes an important contribution by showing how the U.S. compares with its cross-national peers and how patterns of polarization have changed over time. Drawing on four ISSP Environment modules from 1993 to 2020, the paper provides a valuable over-time assessment of public opinion and highlights the gradual erosion of consensus around climate politics. It is a timely, rigorous, and highly relevant study that [is expected to] quickly become an important reference in the field."

08/05/2026

30/04/2026

This afternoon we had the pleasure of hosting a talk by Ilias Alami on their award-winning book The Spectre of State Capitalism (co-authored with Adam Dixon). Thanks for a stimulating discussion! 📚👏🏻