A MEMBER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS RUSSELL GROUP
(24 leading research-intensive UK universities)
Global
GLOBAL EXCELLENCE
IN RESEARCH
Delivering Positive Change through Global Research
We’re proud of our reputation for research – and we’re even more ambitious for its future.
The ninth-oldest university in the UK, Queen’s has a proud history of conducting innovative, impactful, and world-leading research, changing people’s lives for the better.
Informed by UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), today our research culture is primed by investment in areas of research strength, particularly translational expertise, working across disciplines to address local and global challenges such as soil degradation, water scarcity, conflict resolution and climate change.
QUEEN’S: A WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
We support the creation of international research partnerships and with access to international funding streams, cutting edge facilities, and professional support, we attract the most talented international research staff and students.
(24 leading research-intensive UK universities)
99% OF OUR RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT IS WORLD-LEADING OR INTERNATIONALLY EXCELLENT
(REF 2021)
RANKED 13TH IN THE UK FOR RESEARCH INTENSITY
(Complete University Guide 2025)
£173M TO SUPPORT GLOBAL RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT
From regional, national and global sources.OVER 1,000 AWARDS
Involving international collaboration/funding.4000 RESEARCH COLLABORATORS WORLDWIDE
Healthy Living for All
To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, we’re transforming global health, community well-being, patient care and translational medicine.
A Transformative and Sustainable Economy
Advanced materials, intelligent manufacturing and innovation are leading the way in how we change our economy for the greater good.
Secure Connected Intelligence – AI and the Data Revolution
Everywhere we look, from our smart phones to our homes, our world is alive with something new. We’re advancing our understanding of data, intelligence, smart networks, and new technologies.
Human-Environment Relations
Our planet is super-heating, sea levels are rising; natural ecosystems, the built environment and adaptability – where will we be soon?
Inclusive and Cohesive Communities
Governance, peace, cohesive and creative communities are just some of the facets that are helping bring us together towards a common humanity on a global scale.
Queen’s Global Research Institutes (GRIs)
Our GRIs are flagships for interdisciplinary research in areas of major societal challenge.
They bring together a critical mass of excellent researchers from a wide range of disciplines in world-class facilities to tackle some of the greatest global issues of our age.
Global Food Security: Playing a major role in the future of delivering safe, sustainable, and authentic food to the world’s population, and globally recognised for its excellence in research.
Peace, Security and Justice: The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice examines how societies emerging from violence can establish lasting peace.
Technology Futures: Investigating how to secure, process and safely transmit information created by citizens, enterprise, and government.
Global Health: Addressing diseases that affect populations worldwide like Cancer, Respiratory Conditions, Eye Disease and Diabetic Vascular Complications.
Our Global Research in action
These features showcase a range of our global academic research, working across disciplines and sectors and making a real difference to economies, societies and cultures across the world.
GLOBAL RESEARCH FEATURED PROJECTS
Our research activity has global impact, and we continue to expand our reach through collaboration, building research partnerships locally, nationally and internationally.
View our research showcase for projects tackling global issues, working with diverse collaborators and partners.
QUEEN'S RESEARCH IN EUROPE
Queen's continues to build on significant European research success.
We have engaged in 125 Horizon 2020 projects, across 70 countries and in more than 600 collaborations. We are on the way to achieve a similar success in Horizon Europe.
BELFAST: A GLOBAL INNOVATION CAPITAL
Belfast is a capital city with a passion for progress – a passion shared by Queen’s University Belfast, with our campus positioned in the beating heart of the city.
Belfast has a long and proud history of industry and innovation, from ship building to linen manufacturing.
Today, the city is an inward magnet for investment and its young, dynamic population and thriving business community drives technological advances, building competitiveness, innovation and prosperity on the global stage.
ONE OF THE BEST REGIONAL UK CITIES TO START A NEW BUSINESS
(Start-up Cities Index, 2017)THE WORLD’S MOST BUSINESS FRIENDLY SMALL-MEDIUM SIZED CITY
(Financial Times fDi Intelligence, 2018)QUEEN’S RANKED NUMBER TWO IN THE UK FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL IMPACT
(Octopus Ventures, 2022)
Belfast Region City Deal
The University’s central involvement in the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) further cements our role in supporting and accelerating economic growth in Northern Ireland.
Queen’s, together with Ulster University, is leading on the development of the Innovation strand: a suite of five projects with a common thread of digital innovation, which will receive over £200m capital funding via the Deal.
We are driving projects that will foster innovation and opportunities across key sectors including data science, creative industries, advanced manufacturing and health, and help ensure a talent pipeline of equipped, future ready graduates to meet demand.
COLLABORATE WITH US
We hope that you will work together with us, in partnership, to make vast advances in global research tackling global issues.
Major partner countries include the USA and several EU nations. Four Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), China, Vietnam, India and South Africa also appear in the list of Queen’s top partner country collaborators.
RESEARCH WITH US
Become part of the next generation of world-class researchers at Queen’s, and access the support and facilities you need to achieve your career ambitions.
Our researchers benefit from a range of development opportunities, enabling you to thrive in your research, advance your career and reach your potential as future leaders.
Access generous funding and awards, defined career pathways, relocation expenses, mentoring and coaching and a range of professional training options.
Our Postdoctoral Development Centre welcomes new research fellows, promotes a positive Postdoc experience and empowers researchers to progress their career.
FELLOWSHIPS AT QUEEN'S
Queen’s wants to recruit, develop, and nurture outstanding fellows who will deliver world-leading research and become our research leaders of the future.
Our Fellowship academy provides early career researchers with developmental opportunities to support their growth as future research leaders and influencers.
Our Illuminate: The Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowships offer the support and facilities you need to achieve your career ambitions. Benefits include a pathway to a Senior Lecturer/Reader post at the end of the Fellowship, reduced teaching and admin, excellent relocation expenses, a generous ‘Fellowship Enhancement Award’ from £20,000-£50,000 and funding to recruit a full-time PhD student within the first two years of appointment.
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ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Queen’s academics work with more than 4,000 worldwide collaborators. We believe in nurturing and supporting our people to really make a difference in the world.
Colleagues join us from all over the world and experience a beautiful place to live, talented colleagues and full support in achieving career success.
PROMOTING PHD TALENT
Postgraduate Researchers at Queen’s undertake projects with real social impact while exploring their passions and progressing in their fields.
Our Graduate School provides a world class postgraduate experience, supporting research students, through a suite of training courses, events, networking, support and skills development. It provides a vibrant hub for intellectual exchange and collaboration.
Queen’s has a fantastic support network for academic researchers, and I’ve been fortunate to interact with outstanding PhD students and researchers from all over the world. On top of that Belfast is an incredible city - good food, friendly people, close to areas of natural beauty and affordable – the list goes on!” Professor Paulo Prodohl
Professor of Biological Sciences at Queen's, from Brazil