Like all universities, Queen's has huge untapped potential to address the 21st century’s many social and environmental crises. What if staff, students and the community beyond had more say on how it's run and what it's for?

A campus-based Popular Assembly can help us do just that.

This grassroots student and staff-led initiative is open to everyone concerned about the role of the university in our planetary crisis. It will create an inclusive space for discussing and planning actions in response to the question, ‘What should Queen’s University Belfast do about the planetary crisis?’

We recognise that as a wealthy, influential and highly resourced institution, QUB can and should be showing leadership on tackling the climate and ecological emergency, as well as the interconnected economic crisis that is impacting students, staff and the people of Belfast and beyond.

If we pool our experience, knowledge and expertise – as the students, researchers, academics, admin staff, support staff, groundworkers and members of the wider community who make the university what it is – we believe that we can create a vision for Queen’s that is more capable of taking on the challenges we all face as a society.

This and subsequent Assemblies will be an opportunity to discuss and form that collective vision. Importantly, it will also be a chance to discuss, plan and begin to implement next-step actions that begin the process of bringing that vision into being.

Assembly details

Assembly question: ‘What should Queen’s University Belfast do about the planetary crisis?’

16:00 – 16:25 Doors, tea & coffee

16:25 – 16:40 Assembly overview and introduction:

- Welcomes and what to expect (Beth Elder, SU President)

- Reasons, rationale and provocations for the assembly (John Barry)

- What we can achieve – inspirations and examples (Calum McGeown)

16:40 – 17:20 Small ground discussion

Small groups will engage in facilitated discussing to address the Assembly question, take notes and collect main points of concern and ideas for actions and next steps.

17:20 – 17:35 Loo break

17:35 – 18:00 Feedback discussion

Small groups feedback main points of concern and ideas for action to the full assembly, with opportunity for people to ask questions and seek clarifications.

18:00 – 18:20 Closing remarks and next steps

An assembly report will be put together as an Alternative Action Plan for QUB. Chance to nominate issues/actions to form action hubs/working groups around.

18:20 – 19:00 Pizza, socialise and action planning

A chance to socialise and form working groups to pursue action points.

With support from:

QUB SU

Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action (SECA)

Faculty for a Future