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Academic facilities

Queen’s historic campus

A beacon of learning and innovation

Providing world class education and research facilities where our students and staff carry out their ambitious work is a key priority for the university.

Investing £700m over a 20 year capital development programme, Queen’s has some of the best campus facilities in the UK and Ireland.

KN CHEUNG SK CHIN INTERSIM CENTRE

Our new state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Teaching facility is one of the few in the UK to truly champion simulation-based health education which allows students to train together in interactive, authentic scenarios that closely replicate a wide range of clinical settings.

Students can experience the realities of modern day clinical activity such as acute and emergency care, chronic illness, paediatrics, mental health and maternity services, preparing them for professional practice.

The Pharmacy lab
Pharmacy Practice Unit

At Queen's we believe in providing students with as authentic a learning experience and environment as possible.

Our recently renovated Pharmacy Practice Unit consists of everything you would find in community pharmacy; currently available medicines, refrigerated storage, Controlled Drugs safe, as well a full range of up-to-date electronic resources.

Students each have their own fully stocked dispensing workspace, with touch-enabled screens and industry-leading dispensing software (generously provided from McLernon computers). We provide students with an excellent learning environment, that enables them to realise their full potential and ensure they are well prepared for future practice.

Students in the nursing labs
Nursing and Midwifery Simulations

Our simulation suite is designed as a typical hospital side ward, where our Nursing students gain experience in caring for the acutely ill patient using the Human Patient Simulators (Siman & Simbaby).

The Simulators represent advanced technology, designed to mimic a "real patient" and add authenticity to clinical scenarios. The Centre also facilitates a number of Inter-professional educations (IPE), workshops where medical, nursing and midwifery students learn side by side. The IPE workshops have been a mandatory part of the medical and nursing curricula since 2004. During this period the staff involved in the IPE workshops received a QUB Teaching Award and the workshops have been presented at both national and international conferences as part of the Centre for Excellence in IPE (CEIPE). 

Student practicing dentistry on a dummy patient
Dentistry Lab

Approximately £1 million has been invested in the last five years to ensure Dentistry has the most modern clinical facilities of any UK Dental School.

Located within the School of Dentistry Building on the Royal Hospitals campus,  90 dental chairs are provided for undergraduate dental teaching as well as NHS clinics.  In addition, Queen's facilities include 2 dedicated lecture/seminar rooms, tutorial rooms, as well as a newly refurbished Dental Clinical Skills Laboratory and other laboratory facilities where students are taught in a simulated environment before treating patients.

Clinical Anatomy Suite
Clinical Anatomy Suite

The Clinical Skills Education Centre provides both clinical skills training, revision and assessment and is used extensively by medical students and doctors in training. 

Clinical skills training spans all years of the medical undergraduate curriculum ranging from basic life support training in year 1 to high-fidelity simulation training in years 4 and 5. The centre also provides the resources and accommodation to deliver all the Objectively Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) for the undergraduate course.

Queen's is one of the few medical schools in the UK where students have access to human cadaveric teaching material in a purpose-built facility licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).

Centre FOR EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH FACILITIES
Facilities for Experimental and Precision Medicine

Opened in 2016, the £32m Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine promotes research excellence in Experimental Medicine acting as an integrative hub, linking various research elements and driving the invention and development of novel therapeutic compounds & molecular diagnostic tools through discovery science.

It provides accommodation for some 330 members of staff specialising in research into mechanisms of disease which will translate to innovative therapeutics and diagnostics to improve health and manage disease.

The Precision Medicine Centre of Excellence brings together high-throughput genomics, artificial intelligence and big data analytics in a fully integrated fashion.

More about WWIEM

The Biological Sciences team have their own boat used to explore the waters
Marine Laboratory

Queen’s Marine Laboratory is on the shores of one of the most protected areas in Europe, Strangford Lough.

Students benefit from residential field courses at the marine lab to study marine ecosystems up close using our array of aquaria, boats and shore-based facilities. Spectacular marine wildlife includes six-gill, blue and basking sharks, bluefin tuna, >20 species of marine mammals (from seals to humpback whales), leatherback turtles, deep-water coral reefs and hydrothermal vents. All of these species represent core focal areas for our staff. Access to such species and environments makes Queen's one of the best located universities for the study of Marine Biology.

Asset technology lab
ASSET Technology Centre

The ASSET Technology Centre i a leading analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry research hub, recently recognised as a 'Centre of Expertise' by the Food Authenticity Network.

ASSET provides leading platforms to facilitate increasingly rapid identification of feed and food contamination and adulteration. The equipment is among the most specialist in a UK university and was possible due to the generous support of Innovate UK (via CIEL Livestock) and European Regional Development Fund (Invest NI) as well as some instrument manufacturers.

More on the ASSET Lab

Microscopy facility
Ewald Microscopy Facilities

Advanced Microscopy and Analysis Facilities

Located within the School of Mathematics and Physics, the EMC provides microscopy and analysis facilities for the Queen's research community, as well as for external academic and industrial users.

It aims to:

  • support world-class research at the micro, nano and atomic scales;
  • enable a wide variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects;
  • facilitate short-term consultancy and longer-term R&D projects with industry.

More on the Ewald Microscopy Facilities

Students in Agilent labs using equipment
PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS LAB

Developed to maximise students' practical lab experience for the postgraduate course in Pharmaceutical Analysis, the new lab features 18 Agilent instruments from gas and liquid chromatographs and mass spectrometers to infrared, fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy systems.

The hands-on experience gained by current and future students in the new lab will help to address the growing demand for analytical chemists internationally and particularly on the island of Ireland, which is a global player in pharmaceutical production.

More about the Pharmaceutical Analysis Lab

A student experiments in Lego room, part of the Computer Science Building
Lego Lab

The EEECS LEGO lab aims to inspire and educate future generations of scientists, engineers and technologists to solve real world problems by prototyping solutions in our Lego model city.

In this lab, situated in the Compuer Science Building,  little bricks help to solve big problems. The lab is a multidisciplinary space that facilitates student-led projects through the availability of design and production resources, networking, and skill partnering. Projects can be of personal interest, assist with future career plan or produce preliminary research to enable later endeavours. The lab is open to any registered student at Queen’s University. The lab ultimately enhances student’s learning, engagement and overall experience at Queen’s.

*The EEECS LEGO lab is not affiliated or endorsed by LEGO®

School pupil with Baxter robot
Manufacturing and Engineering Workshops

These state-of-the-art workshops provide extensive and flexible support for the production of teaching equipment, research capability, and student projects.

Capabilities include:

  • 3 x CNC Vertical Machining Centres
  • 5 Axis CNC EDM Wire Eroding Machine
  • 3 x CNC 5 Axis Simultaneous Machining Centres
  • CNC EDM Die Sinking Machine
  • CNC Mill Turn Machine
  • CNC High Pressure Water Jet Cutter
  • FeatureCAM, Hypermill, Solid Works and HyperCAD solid modelling and surface generation software
  • 5-axis Computerised Coordinate Measuring Machine and Vision Measurement System
Astronomy facilities, telescope and dome at night
Astrophysics Research Centre Teaching Observatory

We have built, commissioned and operate a small observatory on the roof of the Physics Building for the use of undergraduate astrophysics teaching.

The observatory houses a 14-inch (0.35m) Meade ACF LX850 on a fixed Altair Astro pier. The telescope can be used visually or with a camera. We have an ATIK One 6.0 CCD camera, and ZWO ASI1600MC-C and ZWO ASI120MM CMOS cameras. The dome is a Pulsar Observatories 2.7m full height dome. During the night all observations can be carried out at an observing desk within ARC. Software control is via The Sky X Pro for the mount/dome and Maxim DL for image/data acquisition.

In addition, we have two portable Meade LS-6 ACF telescopes for use with Level 3 MSc Projects plus public events.

More details

Exterior of the ECIT building
Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT)

This flagship Centre has helped in the attraction of over 100 high-tech Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and start-up companies.

International issues require international solutions and this global innovation hub at CSIT has a unique approach in facilitating speculative blue skies and industrial informed research projects within the same Institute.

CSIT currently has 90 staff comprising academic researchers and a significant engineering, professional services and commercial team with deep domain expertise in cyber, driving innovation activities and making it one of the largest centres of its kind in the UK.

More about CSIT

EPS Maker Space
Qlab Maker Space

Initially, Qlab provided a space for students’ personal projects and our first members were capable self taught students in Computer Science, SESE and EEE programs.

It has since grown to have impact in many areas of the school and university. Qlab activities include:

  • Running hackathons, particularly our annual 5 day 'development week' hackathon
  • Startup-style 10 week summer internships working on projects including those for local entrepreneurs
  • Extracurricular tutoring of students in advanced topics such as Deep Learning
  • Support for final year projects requiring specialised equipment, such as GPU based machines for deep learning, electronics or light manufacturing
  • Support for PhD and research staff wanting to prototype new tools/products

More about Qlab

Anechoic chamber
ECIT Communications Lab

The Centre for Wireless Innovation is the UK’s largest research, development and exploitation base in physical layer wireless, and one of the strongest in Europe.

Our 60-strong team of research academics, postdocs, PhD students and engineers develop innovative underpinning technologies for Wireless. Their work focuses on the themes of RF through THz Systems and Signal Processing and Communication Theory. They collaborate specifically on six sub-themes: Future Cellular Systems, Physical Layer Secure Wireless, Electromagnetic Sensing, Green Wireless, Space Applications and Connected & Autonomous Systems.

More details

Formula Student Car
Mechanical Labs

Flexible student working spaces, dedicated prototyping capabilities and broad range of experimental capabilities support the student learning experience

Our design studio allows students to turn ideas into reality. Students can design prototypes with modern 3-D printing and laser cutting technology. Practical working environments support group and self-directed learning. 

Rotational moulding robot
i-AMS at the Northern Ireland Technology Centre at Queen’s

The Centre for Intelligent Autonomous Manufacturing Systems (i-AMS) is a pioneer research programme at Queen’s which is leading innovation in new technologies for advanced manufacturing. 

Based at the distinguished Northern Ireland Technology Centre at Queen’s, the facility has state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing technology demonstration facilities with a particular focus on machining, robotic welding, AR/VR and cooperative robotics.

It is able to work across the full TRL spectrum. i-AMS has an ethos of industry collaboration and industry informed research, building on a 50 year track record of supporting industry in R&D and QUB’s position as the UK leader in knowledge transfer partnerships, and is keen to work with industry across all sectors to drive forward advanced manufacturing.

More on i-AMS

Server and wires
High performance computing: Kelvin-2

The new facility will allow researchers to use high performance computing (HPC) technology to address some of society’s biggest challenges. 

The facility, based at Queen’s University’s McClay library, will be used to accelerate research in six specialist areas which both institutions are experts in and are economically and socially important to the UK. 

One of only seven major computer resources awarded in the UK through ESPRC funding, the facility will enable researchers to conduct largescale data analytics, simulation and optimisation of AI technologies to significantly enhance research productivity and quality in: neurotechnology and computational neuroscience, advanced chemistry, innovative drug delivery, precision medicine, metabolomics and hydrogen safety.

More details

Film Studio at Queen's
FILM STUDIO

‌The new film studio represents an investment and enhancement to existing facilities in Film Studies and The School of Arts, English and Languages of over £1m in the last two years.

The lighting grid which covers the entire floor plan, features custom made Doughty hoists with state of the art broadcast approved LED and cool running lighting systems from Arri and others. A full DMX lighting control system has also been installed. This system is rooted through a programmable ETC lighting control desk.

More about the Film Studio

Students using the School of Management Trading Room
FinTrU Trading Room

The FinTrU Trading Room, which replicates New York and London trading environments, provides students with access to 12 Bloomberg terminals, trading simulations and other financial software.

The FinTrU Trading Room is embedded into taught programmes allowing students to relate real world news and market activity to economic and financial theory. The facility is also vital for supporting extra-curricular activities such as the CFA Research Challenge and Queen’s Student Managed Fund.

More about the FinTrU Trading Room

Surround Studio 1
AUDIO RECORDING AND POST PRODUCTION STUDIOS

Studios at The Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) include multi-channel and stereo facilities with high quality monitoring loudspeakers.

Studios at SARC include multi-channel and stereo facilities with high quality monitoring loudspeakers.  The studios are used for a wide variety of applications including the recording of pop and classical music, electronic music production, Dolby Atmos spatialisation, VR audio, sound design and post production for screen, and mixing for radio and television broadcast.  

View all Studios

Sonic Lab
Sonic Laboratory

SARC is home to the world famous Sonic Laboratory.

The Sonic Lab is a specialist acoustic space designed to provide a unique and exciting listening experience, in fact, the auditory equivalent of an IMAX cinema. Forty-eight loudspeakers, strategically located, will project and move sounds throughout the space, including underneath the audience. No other auditorium for sonic art performance and experimentation currently exists with this revolutionary feature. The provision of this facility gives Northern Ireland a unique and pioneering role in a rapidly developing field.

More on Sonic Arts Research Centre

Control Room
CONTROL ROOM for Recording and 5.1 post production

Directly adjacent to the Sonic Laboratory is a control room allowing the Lab to be used as a recording studio.

The two rooms are linked by 48 microphone lines and a vision panel. The control room features an AMS-Neve DMC Digital Mixing Console, 5.1 PMC monitoring, an Avid ProTools HDX system with a wide range of plug-ins, and a TC Electronic System 6000 effects / mastering unit.

One button studio
DIGITAL STUDIO

Situated within the School of Law, the Digital Studio is a multi-use digital space for students which includes a one button recording facility and editing facilities.

The high-spec recording studio gives students the facility to record, review, edit and critically analyse their own presence on camera while giving presentations as well as have a video they can use to receive feedback from peers and lecturers. The studio also doubles as a recording space for the LawPod podcast initiative.

Moot Court
MOOT COURT INTERACTIVE TEACHING SPACE

The moot court provides a modern teaching and learning environment for students.

Through BYOD wireless presentation and bookable surface devices, both teachers and students can easily share content and collaborate in every class. The space also allows for Moots to be recorded and reviewed as well as having facilities for Lecture capture and live streaming.

Lecture theatre in the David Keir Building
State-of-the-art lecture theatre

A fully immersive online learning environment

This lecture theatre brings the convenience of learning from anywhere to the quality of a lecture theatre at Queen’s. The environment allows participants from all over the world to participate in discussions, interact using polls, and collect learning materials with persistent online file storage. 

The most striking feature of this lecture theatre is the impressive 4K screen that allows the lecturer to be face-to-face with up to 64 remote users at once. The size of the screen ensures that all individuals who connect remotely get the experience of learning from the front row of the classroom.