1. What is Widening Participation?
At Queen’s University Belfast, Widening Participation focuses on encouraging and supporting people who have the ability, motivation and potential to succeed at university, but who come from groups that are currently under-represented in higher education within Northern Ireland. These groups include young people from secondary schools and colleges, adult learners, students with disabilities and part-time students. The majority of projects and activities are delivered under the banner ‘Discovering Queen’s’.

2. What is our primary goal?
Discovering Queen’s (Widening Participation) works in partnerships with secondary and primary schools and further education colleges to raise aspirations and attainment with a view to increasing the numbers of people from under-represented groups attending and succeeding at university.

3. Does Queen’s University practice positive discrimination in favour of so-called under-represented groups?
No. Every applicant to the University is treated within a framework of equality of opportunity. Queen’s seeks to recruit students with outstanding motivation, academic ability and potential, regardless of background, and to offer them a very high quality education. Admissions are dealt with in accordance with a clear set of principles and procedures. For further information, please refer to the Admissions Office.