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Strategy 2030

Strategy 2030

Delivering for our future

Strategy 2030 sets out our ambition for the next ten years to Shape A Better World through life-changing education and research

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Since 1845, Queen’s University staff, students and alumni have made a difference to societies locally, nationally and internationally. Today, we are one of the UK and Ireland’s leading universities and continue to shape and serve the world around us through our research and teaching.

Queen’s has always been a generator of knowledge. We tackle the issues faced by individuals and societies at a local, regional and global level and we are an engine of progress that is central to the socio-economic success of Northern Ireland.

Strategy 2030 sets out our ambition for the next ten years to shape a better world through life-changing education and research across our disciplines, investing in our people, both students and staff, to ensure excellence and impact.

Our Strategy has been developed through extensive engagement with staff, students and external stakeholders at a time of unique global crisis - the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strategy 2030 sets out our ambition for the next ten years to shape a better world through life-changing education and research

Strategy 2030 defines the response of the University in this crisis as we drive the social and economic recovery of Northern Ireland, a recovery that must be based on inclusion and sustainability. The role of Queen’s in the recovery underlines our vision to meet the needs of Northern Ireland, driving social and economic change with global resonance.

Our Vision

Our vision is to be a global research-intensive university, generating internationally leading research coupled with outstanding teaching and learning, focused on the needs of our society, locally and globally. Our ambition for 2030:

A Global University

From our hub in Belfast we will build partnerships and collaborations across the globe, attracting the brightest and the best, being known for our exceptional record in diversity, inclusion and sustainability.

Scale New Heights

Climbing the Global league tables and ranked in the top 175 in the world.

A Transformative Education and Student Experience

An education that inspires and delivers the engaged global citizens of tomorrow with flexible and broad based learning opportunities that are lifelong, coupled with outstanding support.

Research of The Highest Quality and Impact

A university known for research of the highest quality, with impact and exceptional translation driving strong partnerships with industry and business.

A Great Place To Work

A leading employer for equality, diversity and inclusion with an organisational culture that supports and empowers staff to produce their best.

An Anchor Institution

An anchor institution in Northern Ireland that takes pride in social and civic responsibility supporting progressive social change and economic growth in an environmentally sustainable way.

Financial Sustainability to support growth and development

A university that is financially sustainable, with the capacity to invest to deliver the best opportunities for students, staff and society in a changing world.

Key Strengths

Our ambition is built on our proud history of global impact:

2nd
Ranked 2nd in the UK for entrepreneurial impact
(Octopus Ventures, 2022)
99%
Of our research environment is world-leading or internationally excellent
(REF2021)
7
Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Further and Higher Education
Top 200
Ranked in the Top 200 in the world in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

Our Values

The University’s success is a reflection of the success of our people. Our core values will underpin all that we do, and academic freedom will ensure respectful enquiry, debate and progress.

Integrity

Connectivity

Ambition

Respect

Excellence

Strategic Priorities

Our Strategy is centred around our people with four Strategic Priorities, which build on our rich heritage of innovation, both economic and social, and focus on true global challenges aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

These resonate with the specific needs of, in particular, Northern Ireland and also more widely on the island of Ireland and in the UK, and are underscored by the impact of the pandemic.

We will realise our Vision by focusing on four priorities:
Education and Skills
Research and Innovation
Global Reputation and Partnerships
Social and Civic Responsibility, and Economic Prosperity
Please explore our strategic priorities
  • Education and Skills

    A Queen’s education will provide our students with a sense of purpose and the competencies to shape their own lives and to contribute to the lives of others.

    We will develop our students as global citizens with the skills to work internationally, but the opportunity to build a career locally, meeting the needs of the economy in key sector areas and supporting the growth of the knowledge-based economy in Northern Ireland.

      Goals:

    • Deliver a transformative student experience
    • Provide an education for societal impact
    • Broaden access to Higher Education
    • Innovate our Teaching and Learning

    A Queen’s education will provide our students with a sense of purpose and the competencies to shape their own lives and to contribute to the lives of others.

  • Research and Innovation

    Queen’s has a proud history of conducting innovative, impactful and world-leading research that has positively changed people’s lives.

    Our ambition for 2030 is to further enhance our impact by strengthening our research position and working with industry to broaden our translational impact and innovation, ensuring we deliver high quality, world-leading research, which addresses local and global challenges.

      Goals:

    • Strengthen our research portfolio
    • Enhance our research collaborations
    • Address real world need
    • Foster a creative, inclusive and collaborative culture

    Queen’s has a proud history of conducting innovative and world-leading research that has changed people’s lives.

  • Global Reputation and Partnerships

    At Queen’s, we will foster an environment where local impact and global ambition pervades all our activities.

    We will enhance our international reputation as a world-class research and educational institution, communicating our distinctive impact to the world. Through our global reputation, we will also promote the international profile and connectivity of Northern Ireland.

      Goals:

    • Offer an international experience
    • Enhance our international networks and partnerships
    • Advance our global alumni engagement
    • Lead and shape the agenda on social transformation

    At Queen’s, we will foster an environment where local impact and global ambition pervades all our activities.

  • Social and Civic Responsibility, and Economic Prosperity

    Universities are uniquely placed to shape the world in which we live, by helping to solve the challenges faced by individuals and communities at a local, regional and global level.

    They also have a pivotal role to play in underpinning the economic, social and cultural growth of their region. Queen’s is central to the socio- economic success of Northern Ireland; we are a University for Northern Ireland and will be both accessible, agile and responsive to the needs and priorities of our region and our world.

      Goals:

    • Enhance future economic growth and prosperity
    • Drive social change
    • Embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals across all our activities
    • Transition to a zero-carbon society

    Universities are uniquely placed to shape the world in which we live.

You can find more information on each of the priorities in our Strategy 2030 document.

Enablers

The Strategic Priorities will be underpinned by four enablers – Our People, Financial Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Technology – to ensure we have the optimum environment, resources and systems needed to deliver our vision.

Invest in our people

We will create a vibrant organisational culture, based on our core values, and will further our sector-leading role in equality, diversity and inclusion.

Improve our effectiveness and financial sustainability

We will implement organisational change to improve our effectiveness and resilience and will strengthen our financial position through income growth and diversification.

Ensure world-class infrastructure for our staff, students and community

Our campus will be further enhanced, providing a welcoming environment, open to the community for the benefit of the region.

Maximise the benefits of technology

We will develop an integrated digital strategy to maximise the organisational benefits of embracing leading-edge technology and enhance our digital infrastructure.

Delivering for our future

We will assess our progress towards realising our Vision and delivering Strategy 2030 using the following indicators.

Our People

Be among the leading universities for equality, diversity and inclusion.

Our Curriculum

Educating global citizens through a transformative student experience.

Our Staff

Invest in our staff and enhance pride in the University.

Our Global Reputation

Be ranked in the top 175 in global league tables.

Our Students

Be a destination of choice for talented students, growing international recruitment and diversity.

Our Research

Be among the UK’s leading research-intensive universities.

Our Global Impact

Be a top 50 university for our global impact.

Our Innovation

Develop further our outstanding track record in innovation and technology transfer.

Our Social Responsibility

Deliver our commitment to widening access and sustainability.

Our Financial Sustainability

Generate an annual surplus for reinvestment.

Download

You can find more information in the Strategy 2030 document.

Strategy 2030 (PDF)(2MB)