Teesside University Darlington to get royal stamp of approval

His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent is to officially open Teesside University’s new £13m Darlington campus on Monday April 2.

The Duke will meet Vice Chancellor Professor Graham Henderson CBE, staff, students, governors and employers as he tours the iconic new building. He will also be greeted by youngsters from Darlington College nursery.

The five storey undergraduate and postgraduate teaching facility offers a complete University study experience for Darlington and is already popular with employers working in partnership with the award winning University.

Working with long-term partner Darlington College, the University campus offers superb facilities for higher education focusing on business management, education, fraud management and health related courses.

The Duke will have the opportunity to see the full breadth of the flexible facilities which includes a learning lounge, roof terrace, IT labs, teaching spaces, library, conference facilities and cafe.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Henderson, CBE, said: 'I am delighted that His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent will officially open our Darlington campus and to welcome him to Teesside University.

'The University has a long and distinguished history of widening access to higher education across the Tees Valley and the Darlington campus continues this tradition. It provides an improved gateway to higher education for individuals and employers in the west end of the Tees Valley, County Durham and North Yorkshire.'

Nigel Evans, Director of Teesside University Darlington added: 'Our aim here in Darlington is to help develop the local workforce, stimulate the economy, and provide flexible higher education opportunities for students and employers.

'We have played host to a number of high profile conferences and events, including a visit from Charles Allen CBE, Chair of LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Paralympic Games) Nations and Regions and business showcases – all of which help to put both the University and the region on the national map.'

The Duke of Kent will have the chance to view the distinctive feature of the building – a ‘shark’s fin’ constructed using a steel frame with glazing and brickwork to give a striking visual statement. From the fourth floor the strategic position of Darlington can be appreciated, with views to the North York Moors to the east and the Durham and Yorkshire Dales to the west, while the main East Coast railway line passes directly below.

Teesside University Darlington also boasts two computer laboratories, one general and the other specialist for students on the University’s animation courses. A bank of laptop computers is available for all students to use in the building which has wi-fi facilities throughout.

The building’s ground floor features a Library to support all of the courses to be delivered at Darlington, with computers and a quiet working area. The ground floor also has its own informal seating area and café/licensed bar.

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