University Of Durham

Centre for Islamic finance planned at Durham University

DURHAM University will build on its role as a leading UK centre for teaching Islamic finance and business with a new doctoral training centre.

The Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance is a collaboration between the University’s Durham Business School and the School of Government and International Affairs.

Durham has been a centre for research in Islamic finance for over 25 years, with a significant history of PhD study which will enter a new era with the launch of the centre in the autumn. The new centre will build on this success and the international popularity of the Durham Islamic Finance Summer School, which began yesterday.

Professor Rob Dixon, dean of Durham Business School, said: “Due to such exciting and dynamic developments in the Islamic financial and banking sector, it is important that financiers and bankers who are working in the field, or who wish to enter the Islamic financial market, are aware of the principles, operations, techniques and mechanism of Islamic finance and financial products as well as the dynamics of Islamic financial and capital markets.”

Dr Mehmet Asutay, the director of the summer school and a senior member of the new centre, said: “The centre will provide exclusive facilities for research students who have chosen to specialise in Islamic finance, which will enhance Durham University’s long-standing efforts to contribute to the development of academic and intellectual discourse and the practice of Islamic finance.

“It will also support the international reputation and recognition of Durham University.

New brain scanner for researchers - Durham University

A new £1.5 million MRI scanner has arrived at The James Cook University Hospital as a joint venture between Durham University and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

A new £1.5 million MRI scanner has arrived at The James Cook University Hospital as a joint venture between Durham University and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The new scanner, which will be used to scan people's brains, will be shared between the hospital for clinical work with patients and by the University for research into the brain.

The partnership approach in sharing the equipment is unique to Tees Valley, and it will be the first time Durham University has ever had its own scanner for research purposes.

The MRI scanner is top of the range and, compared to existing scanners in the Tees Valley area, will be faster and produce better quality images of the brain.

Professor Charles Heywood from the Department of Psychology at Durham University has been closely involved in driving the partnership.  He said: "We are absolutely delighted to have this facility at our disposal.  I believe this is a great step forward in bringing clinical and research work closer together and in finding ways to share resources efficiently. 

"This is not only good news for our research staff, who will now have much better and easier access to quality brain and body imaging, but also to patients in Tees Valley."

The scanner will be used by academics from across the University including those from the School for Medicine and Health and the Wolfson Research Institute, which are both based at the University's Queen's Campus in Stockton.

Research projects include those which investigate autism, the impact of hormones on the brain, and brain function in relation to visual field defects and visuomotor deficits.

Professor Phil Kane, Consultant Neurosurgeon at The James Cook University Hospital, has championed the development within the trust. He said: "The installation of the scanner is the culmination of an extensive collaboration between the Trust and Durham University. As far as I am aware the scanner is unique in the northern region and it will allow leading edge research to be carried out at The James Cook University Hospital and state of the art scanning for NHS patients."

The MRI scanner will be fully installed and ready for use by clinicians and researchers at the end of the summer.  The whole facility, including the equipment and refurbishment of the space, costs £3 million which has been equally shared between Durham University and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

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