BELFAST IS RANKED IN THE TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING TECH CITIES IN THE UK
(UK Digital Economy Council, 2021)
Belfast: Innovation Capital
BELFAST IS THE UK’S MOST AFFORDABLE STUDENT CITY
(Natwest Student Living Index 2024)
BELFAST WAS VOTED IN THE TOP 10 FRIENDLIEST CITIES IN THE UK
(Condé Nast Traveller, Readers' Choice Awards 2024)
BELFAST IS IN THE SAFEST REGION IN THE UK
(UK Crime Surveys 2022/2023)
WHY BELFAST?
Belfast is a modern capital city, welcoming, easy to get around and an inexpensive place to live and study.
It is also a city with a passion for progress – a passion shared by Queen’s University Belfast. As Belfast flourishes as a global food, culture, arts and shopping destination, Queen’s is positioned in the beating heart of the city, sharing a commitment to excellence, innovation, and prosperity.
BELFAST AS A GLOBAL INNOVATOR
Belfast has a long and proud history of industry and innovation, from ship building to linen manufacturing.
It is also a city with a passion for progress – a passion shared by Queen’s University Belfast. As Belfast flourishes as a global food, culture, arts and shopping destination, Queen’s is positioned in the beating heart of the city, sharing a commitment to excellence, innovation, and prosperity.
In the 18th century, Belfast had a strong pro-abolition and antislavery movement ahead of most UK cities. The Good Friday Agreement of 2018 pointed to Northern Ireland as a global role model for peace and Northern Ireland is the happiest place to live in the UK (Lloyds Bank Happiness Index, 2020).
THRIVING HUB FOR innovators and entrepreneurs
Today, Belfast is an inward magnet for investment and its young, dynamic population is a thriving business community with a determination to succeed and is ranked as the world’s most business friendly small-medium sized city (Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence, 2018).
Queen’s is ranked number two in the UK for entrepreneurial impact (Octopus Ventures, 2022) with 3500 people employed in 42 active spin out companies (Queen’s Research and Enterprise, 2023). It is also ranked number one in the UK for its participation in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP).
It’s a place where innovators and entrepreneurs can find the support network and urban workspaces, they need to nurture success. A city with innovation at its heart, technological advances infiltrate every sector, helping to build competitiveness on the global stage.
MAKING A MARK GLOBALLY
There has been significant investment in the city over the last decade and it is one of the best regional UK cities to start a new business (Start-up Cities Index, 2017).
The prevalence of venture capitalists, business angels and private investors mean that young, high potential companies are booming in the city. In fact, Belfast is ranked in the top 10 cities in the UK to develop a digital career (Monster’s Digital Cities, 2019).
There are almost 900 international companies located in Northern Ireland, making Belfast the second most successful city in the UK (after London) for attracting US trade. Belfast is also one of Europe’s top 10 small cities for Foreign Direct Investment strategy (Financial Times, fDi European Cities of the Future, 2018).
BELFAST NAMED IN THE TOP 5 CITIES IN THE UK
(Condé Nast Traveller, Readers' Choice Awards 2024)
QUEEN'S IS RANKED 2ND IN THE UK FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL IMPACT
(Octopus Ventures, 2022)
NORTHERN IRELAND IS THE HAPPIEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE UK
(Lloyds Bank Happiness Index, 2020)
RANKED IN THE TOP 10 CITIES IN THE UK TO DEVELOP A DIGITAL CAREER
(Monster’s Digital Cities, 2019)
A TITANIC POWERHOUSE
The Titanic Quarter has become an economic and technological powerhouse, hosting global companies such as Citi, Microsoft, IBM and HBO.
Catalyst Inc, formerly the Northern Ireland Science Park, houses 200 companies which are spearheading tech innovation. It is also the home of Queen’s globally renowned Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) which has helped to create 1,100 new jobs in cyber security in Belfast over the past three years.
BELFAST REGIONAL CITY DEAL (BRCD)
In 2018 Queen’s University Belfast, along with BRCD partners, welcomed news of £350m investment from HM Treasury announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond.
This bespoke package of funding and decision-making powers agreed between central government and local regions aims to harness additional investment, create new jobs, and accelerate inclusive economic growth.
Queen’s is a key partner in the BRCD, as are six local councils, Ulster University, Further Education colleges and the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The BRCD is made up of 22 integrated projects, each falling in one of three investment themes intended to deliver 20,000 new and better jobs.
As part of the deal, the Northern Ireland Executive is expected to add a further £350m. It is part of a £850m co-investment package for the city region. Queen’s has committed £50m to the project. It is anticipated direct investment from the private sector will take the overall package for inclusive growth to well over £1 billion.
“The innovation projects created by BRCD focus on the data-driven knowledge economy of the future through new open-source facilities for research and development. They will serve as a catalyst that will drive forward investment in research and development and help embed a culture of innovation to act as a driver for increased productivity.” Professor Emma Flynn
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise (2019-2023)