Queen’s has three pillars which form the framework for the University’s Research Strategy: ‘People’, ‘Research Quality’ and ‘Partnership and Place’.

The Research and Enterprise Directorate helps secure the University’s vision for excellence and impact in its research and enterprise activities via:

1. Identifying opportunities and research grant application development.
2. Fostering engagement with industry and industry-facing funding initiatives.
3. Translating inventions and innovations into wider commercial and societal impact.
4. Developing a culture of research impact and support engagement with research users.
5. Protecting the interests of researchers and participants through the integrity of research conducted.
6. Dedicated and expert legal, contracting and intellectual property support.
7. Post-award project management support for major research grants.
8. Managing research information systems and research data analysis.
9. Promoting a positive and supportive Research Culture and environment.

Beyond the Research and Enterprise Directorate, expert support for researchers is embedded across the University’s professional services, including support for costing and pricing, systems development, open science, and learning and development. 

The Thomas J. Moran Graduate School connects postgraduate students from all disciplines with one another, and with mentors, academic leaders, and professional partners both within the University and beyond. It offers an intellectually stimulating environment that extends beyond disciplinary boundaries, fostering personal effectiveness, advanced skills development, and a vibrant culture of opportunity, innovation, and enterprise. The School is committed to building a rich, diverse, and inclusive postgraduate community. This includes empowering students to contribute meaningfully to the University’s research culture, creating cross-disciplinary networking opportunities, and celebrating student achievements. Through an extensive programme of training and events aligned to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, the Thomas J. Moran Graduate School equips students with the skills and confidence needed to progress in their research and future careers.

Schools provide prospective research students with specific information on the School’s research activities and what students can expect upon enrolment for a research degree.  Each School website highlights the key research achievements of the School in terms of awards, status and publications.  Schools also highlight evidence of their ability to attract external funding and what opportunities exist both internally and externally for the development of academic collaborations and knowledge transfer partnerships.

In order to illustrate that a School has a suitable research environment for the recruitment of postgraduate research students, it is required to:

1. Demonstrate research excellence, as evidenced through the Research Excellence Framework.
2. Have an appropriate pool of research active staff capable of fulfilling the role of supervisor.
3. Provide appropriate facilities and support (as detailed in the Resources and Training subsection below).

Schools also facilitate effective research by providing access and opportunities to interact with academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, and other research students, for example, through research cluster activities, seminars, and peer support networks.

Queen’s aims to provide an enriching research environment and enable students to access appropriate resources to develop their potential within one of the UK’s leading research intensive universities.

Upon enrolment on a Research Degree Programme, students have access to an induction programme covering key elements of being a research student offered by the Thomas J. Moran Graduate School, as well as a discipline-specific induction from their School. To accommodate the on-going enrolment of postgraduate research students across the academic year, induction sessions are offered on a regular basis by the Thomas J. Moran Graduate School.  The Thomas J. Moran Graduate School also provides access to online resources to guide students through the critical periods and milestones of their research.

Regularly updated student handbooks provide students with an overview of University regulations, policies and procedures, and links to support services such as counselling and Accessible Learning Support.

Schools provide research students with appropriate facilities, normally including a desk in a shared room (for full-time students), access to computing facilities suitable for their research, use of a telephone for research purposes, library access, and laboratory space (as applicable).

The Thomas J. Moran Graduate School empowers postgraduate students to become confident thinkers, communicators, innovators, and leaders who are ready for the future. Research students can access a wide range of programmes, training courses, and discussion opportunities to support both personal and professional development. The Thomas J. Moran Graduate School offers tailored support for academic and research skills alongside one-to-one sessions focused on personal growth. The Thomas J. Moran Graduate School also provides career development opportunities and specialist advice for research students, including guidance on working with research stakeholders, building professional networks, and connecting with potential employers. For those interested in enterprise, dedicated consultation is available, and students are actively supported to lead initiatives that strengthen research culture and enrich the postgraduate experience.

The University provides students with training to ensure they conduct their research honestly, as open as possible – closed as necessary, with rigour, care and respect and are accountable for their activities. Good Research Practice training is mandatory for all postgraduate students, provided via an online training platform, where relevant additional training is provided on research ethics, informed consent, the use of animals in research and/or human tissue compliance. Students are also informed around the principles of Trusted Research, especially when working in STEM disciplines. For those undertaking research in sensitive areas there is also training from the Higher Education Export Control Association to ensure UK national security requirements are complied with.   As plagiarism can be a clear breach of research integrity, training is provided to ensure students understand how to avoid possible allegations. They are also informed of the consequences of this or any other form of research misconduct.  To help students make an informed choice as to how they cite their evidence, the Thomas J. Moran Graduate School and the Library provide a wide range of face-to-face and online citation training.  In addition to this, the Centre for Educational Development supports Schools by providing PGR students with guidance in the use of similarity checking software packages such as Turnitin. Schools whose students submit to Turnitin through Canvas are supported through the Canvas support team.

Any allegation of plagiarism or duplication in unpublished work, which is submitted by a postgraduate research student for assessment (via Annual Progress Review or oral examination), or any alleged academic offence occurring as part of a Taught module, will be dealt with under the Procedures for Dealing with Academic Offences.

Any other allegation of misconduct in research by a postgraduate research student will be dealt with under the Regulations Governing the Allegation and Investigation of Misconduct in Research

Students can seek advice and guidance in relation to these Procedures and Regulations from SU Advice, and the Students' Union.

To ensure the academic standards of the University are adhered to in the delivery and completion of awards which may be offered in partnership with another institution, the University has a protocol for the establishment and governance of collaborative arrangements. Key outcomes of this protocol involve the signature of an appropriate Collaborative Agreement or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by Queen’s with a partner institution(s) and formal recognition of individual partner staff involved in programme delivery. In relation to PhD study, MOAs are required to support formal arrangements of joint supervision and/or the delivery of joint/dual PhD awards or Integrated/Structured PhDs. Coming under the broad heading of collaborative research degree programmes, such arrangements can be made for individual students or cohorts of students and/or form part of a doctoral training programme. Partner staff acting as co- or joint supervisors are also required to apply for Recognised Supervisor status on a per-student basis.

To establish a MOA for a collaborative research degree programme, Schools should, in the first instance, inform Academic Affairs and, for agreements with universities outside the UK, Global Student Recruitment.  The relevant Faculty Office (including the appropriate Dean(s)) should also be consulted and appropriate support secured for the development of a particular arrangement and any associated financial or funding implications. Relevant approval procedures are outlined within the University’s Educational Partnerships Framework including application for Recognised Supervisor status.

Regulations relating to the fee and required enrolment status of collaborative research students are contained in the Student Finance Framework, 3.2.5 Collaborative Research Students.  The Study Regulations for Research Degree Programmes, regulation 3 outlines further regulations applicable to collaborative research students. 

It should be noted that sufficient time (up to one year) should be allowed for the development and approval of any new collaborative arrangement and the negotiation of the supporting MOA.  Agreements must normally be signed prior to the admission of students.