Queen’s University has secured almost £1.5 million ($1.9 million) in philanthropic pledges during a series of engagements in the USA, strengthening its global partnerships in healthcare, business, and innovation.

Queen’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Ian Greer, and Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Senate, Dr Len O’Hagan, led a delegation and met with academic and industry partners to build on global partnerships to lead real-world impact.

Sir Ian said:

“This visit has successfully showcased the transformative potential of our partnerships in the USA, furthering both academic and philanthropic endeavours. The positive response has been overwhelming, with significant fundraising support secured for the University’s global initiatives.

“Queen’s has a long history working in the USA, and over the last five years £57 million research income has been raised, which highlights the significant collaborations developed with our US-based partners.”

Dr O’Hagan underlined the importance of Queen’s being visible during the highly important St Patrick’s Day events in Washington DC, New York and Boston:

“The newly formed New York Alumni Chapter of Queen’s University marked its launch by taking part in the world’s oldest and biggest St Patrick’s Day parade in front of almost two million spectators in Manhattan.

“The entire event has been a significant effort from the University as one of the major stakeholders in Northern Ireland, paving the foundation for future collaborations, while ensuring Northern Ireland remains a key player in international research and development.”

Throughout the visit to the East coast, academics from the fields of arts, health and science strengthened academic partnerships through a number of events, including a Seamus Heaney ‘History and Hope’ evening at the University of Massachusetts. The event showcased the works of one of Ireland's most-loved poets and followed a generous philanthropic gift from the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Fund of the Sidney E. Frank Foundation towards the expansion of the collection at the Queen's Seamus Heaney Centre.

Amy Holmes, Program Officer at the Sidney E. Frank Foundation:

“We are delighted to support the Seamus Heaney Centre, a place of huge cultural importance. Through our investment, we hope to expand the current collection with increased access for both students and the public with a key focus on community engagement and educational initiatives in the centre.”

Dr Declan Kelly, founder and CEO of Consello, a former United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, a Queen’s Honorary Graduate and Honorary Professor of Queen’s Business School, has been instrumental in building relationships between Queen’s and the USA. As well as connecting Queen’s with several significant donors, Dr Kelly has also led a successful fundraising campaign to build a new home for the Senator George Mitchell Institute for Peace and Security. This will support the flagship interdisciplinary research institute in its work to provide a response to the unprecedented global challenges of building a peaceful, inclusive and secure world.

Other activities stateside included marking the new transatlantic cancer research partnership in Washington DC, representing a significant step in strengthening global collaboration in the fight against cancer. Several key US-based organisations have committed to new funding pledges to support this critical work, as well as strong support for the initiative from a number of leading researchers and political figures.

Queen’s Vice-Chancellor also had the opportunity to deliver a key address at the Irish American Partnership’s Annual St Patrick’s Day breakfast, while other members of the delegation attended a fundraising dinner at Princeton where proceeds and donations will be used to support the Mitchell Institute.

Furthermore, while stateside, Queen’s has received investment to boost its world-class aerospace engineering research from Boeing. This investment will be used for the creation of the Boeing Material Characterisation and Processing Laboratory, reinforcing Queen’s long-standing leadership in the field of mechanical and aerospace engineering. 

The delegation's activities, which also included meetings with key figures in government, healthcare, and the private sector, has laid the foundation for future collaborations, ensuring that Northern Ireland remains a pivotal player in international research and development.

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