Durham University is a university in Durham, Unite Kingdom. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name) by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837. It was one of the first new universities to open in England for more than 500 years, and claims to be England's third oldest after Oxford and Cambridge (although other higher education institutions also make this claim – see third oldest university in England debate). It stands in Durham City, on the River Wear, and in Stockton-on-Tees.