Skip to Content

Awards and accreditations

Russell Group Logo
RUSSELL GROUP
A leading UK research-intensive university

We are a member of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK research-intensive universities committed to maintaining the highest standards of research, education and knowledge transfer. Russell Group universities are major international institutions which also have a strong national and regional role and influence.

Russell Group Universities

Queen's Anniversary Prize 2019 logo
QUEEN’S ANNIVERSARY PRIZE
The UK's highest academic honour

We have been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education on seven occasions.

This was for our work in strengthening global cyber security, for Northern Ireland's Comprehensive Cancer Services programme and for world-class achievement in green chemistry, environmental research, palaeoecology, shared education and law.

Queen's Anniversary Prizes

ATHENA SWAN
Committed to promoting gender equality

Queen's University currently holds a prestigious Athena Swan Gold Award.  The University also holds 15 Departmental Awards (3 Gold, 6 Silver and 6 Bronze). 

The Advance HE Athena Swan Charter is used internationally as a framework to support the advancement of gender equality within higher education and research. The Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research. Queen's University Belfast has been a member of the Athena Swan Charter since its formation in 2005.

Gender Equality at Queen's

QAA
QAA QUALITY ASSURANCE
High standard of education provision

QAA checks how UK universities and colleges maintain the standard of their higher education provision.

Read the latest report

HR Excellence in Research logo
HR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
Supporting academic staff development

The University has retained the European Commission’s HR in Excellence in Research Award following a two year self-assessment.

The award endorses the support provided for our research staff to develop their skills and career development opportunities, and providing a clear plan of action for future developments. Including, a focus on mentoring and induction for research staff and developing faculty specific professional and career development activity.

Researcher Development

Silver Diversity mark
DIVERSITY MARK
Promoting gender diversity

Queen's has been awarded the Silver Diversity Mark by Diversity Mark in December 2021, in recognition of its commitment to advancing gender diversity, and the progress made at Queen’s in advancing gender, race and disability equality, and its ambitious plans to do more in these spaces.

The Diversity Charter Mark accreditation is awarded to organisations following an independent assessment process and the Silver Award reflects significant progress since the University was awarded Bronze almost three years ago. 

Queen’s is one of only 10 organisations to achieve the Silver Diversity Mark sharing a platform with other leading employers such as Belfast City Council, Danske Bank, FinTru and Liberty IT.

Diversity and Inclusion

Excellence in Cyber Security Education
Queen’s was named one of the UK’s first Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE).

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ – awarded us Silver recognition for first-rate cyber security education on campus and promoting cyber skills in its community. In addition, Queen’s Management School was awarded the prestigious EQUIS accreditation for management and business schools, becoming one of only 197 such schools worldwide to achieve this distinction.

Find out more

Green flag award logo
GREEN FLAG AWARD
Quality environmental management

Queen’s has been recognised for a second consecutive year in the Green Flag Awards after becoming the first university in Northern Ireland to be recognised by the scheme.

The Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK. It was first launched in 1996 to recognise and reward the best green spaces in the country and is an internationally recognised certification for environmental quality management for parks and open spaces.

We've also achieved Platinum status for the third year running in the Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey. 

Lanyon July2018 front view
RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXCELLENCE
Our international reputation

Queen’s is ranked 85 in the world for impact (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023), in the top 170 in the world for graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022), ranked 4 in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024) and 99% of our research environment is world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021).

Rankings and Reputation