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Research Strategy

OUR STRATEGY

Queen’s has a proud history of conducting innovative, impactful, and world-leading research that has positively changed people’s lives. As part of our institutional Strategy 2030 our ambition is to further enhance our impact by undertaking research of the highest international standing that addresses societal and planetary challenges, changing the world for the better. We will continue to nurture a vibrant research culture, seeded by research led education and built upon curiosity, discovery, innovation, and enterprise, dedicated to social benefit.

Strategy 2030

OUR RESEARCH GOALS

As part of Strategy 2030 we have developed four key research goals, focusing on the areas which we believe will be central to our success, and the success, growth and well-being of the communities we serve.

STRENGTHEN OUR RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

We will enhance our research culture, investing in areas of research strength and particularly our translational expertise, working across disciplines and sectors to address local and global challenges, incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our strategic research themes will focus on:

  • A transformative and sustainable economy
  • Secure connected intelligence – AI and the data revolution
  • Healthy living for all
  • Human environment relations
  • Inclusive and cohesive communities

ENHANCE OUR RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS

We will expand our reach through co-operation and strategic collaborations, building research partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally. We will work with partners to address the shared challenges across these islands, with UK and Ireland-wide initiatives and the ‘levelling up’ regional agenda of the UK Government, where Northern Ireland has so much to offer.

ADDRESS REAL WORLD NEED

We will address real world need and priorities through intensive engagement and co-creation with potential users of research output and innovation across universities, and with business, industry, and governments. We will enhance our translation through partnership initiatives and specifically capacity and capability, such as the Belfast Region City Deal and the wider Regional Growth Deals.

FOSTER A CREATIVE COLLABORATIVE AND INCLUSIVE CULTURE

We will champion a culture that attracts, develops, and nurtures outstanding research talent, inspires our students and rewards excellence. Our researchers will benefit from a range of development opportunities to enable them to thrive in their research, advance their careers and reach their potential as future leaders. We will invest in our researchers to develop international excellence from our postgraduate research students, through early career researchers and Fellows, to international research leaders.

We will achieve these goals by focusing our efforts on three key areas:

  • PEOPLE

    A supportive, team centred, ambitious research community, founded in inclusivity and fairness

    Objectives

    Actions

    Foster an inclusive, collaborative, entrepreneurial and supportive research community

    Engage in national and international PGR funding opportunities

    Enhance researcher excellence across all career stages

    Establish a Queen’s Postdoctoral Development Centre

    Integrate and improve support, training, and mentorship/coaching along the researcher lifecycle

    Evolve the Queen’s Fellowship Academy and deliver the Illuminate Fellowship Scheme

     

    Tailored coaching/mentoring for mid-career researchers

     

    Evolve and embed the new Research Culture Action Plan

     

    Ensure team-based contributions are recognised and rewarded

  • RESEARCH QUALITY

    A dynamic research ecosystem founded on integrity excellence, curiosity, and enterprise

    Objectives

    Actions

    Ensure our research is founded upon integrity, excellence, and ambition

    Focus on quality funding to promote sustainability and quality outputs

    Enable our research with high-quality infrastructure, systems, and services

    Fulfil commitment to Concordat to Support Research Integrity

     

    Support interdisciplinary and disciplinary research structures

     

    Launch an Ideas Forum and institutional Agility Fund

     

    Support infrastructure development

     

    Establish a new Conference Fund

     

    Enhance integration between research and enterprise support services

  • PARTNERSHIP AND PLACE

    A collaborative research ethos founded on agile engagement and enduring partnerships locally and globally

    Objectives

    Actions

    Realise more meaningful and enduring partnerships, connecting nationally and globally

    Launch a Global Research Action Plan with a focus on delivery against UN SDGs

    Responsibly maximise research value and impact, for wider societal benefit, at a local and global level

    Support development of linkages with strategic partners

    Deliver research and innovation activity in partnership with business and industry

    Widen local engagement activities

     

    Embed Research Engagement Hubs and complementary activities

     

    Launch the Enterprise Strategy and Innovation Centre

     

    Deliver next phase of Belfast Region City Deal

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