Durham University 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. The colleges dominate the residential, social, sporting, and pastoral functions within the university, and there is heavy student involvement in their operation. Formal dinners (known as "formals") are held at every college; gowns are worn to these events at just over half of the colleges. Gowns are not worn for formals at Collingwood, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Hild Bede, Van Mildert, Stephenson or Ustinov. There is a great deal of intercollegiate rivalry, particularly in rowing
Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom degree awarding powers to most of the colleges, many of which have, since 2008, awarded their own degrees rather than London degrees. The University of London also has three Central Academic Bodies: the School of Advanced Studies, the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), and the University of London Academy, which are under the direct control of the central University and are not considered colleges. In the University of Wales, colleges were the lower tier of institutional membership in the federal structure, below constituent institutions, following the reorganisation of the university in 1996. Prior to this, the member institutions