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Our Path To Sanctuary

WE ARE A UNIVERSITY OF SANCTUARY!

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INTRO

WE ARE A UNIVERSITY OF SANCTUARY

In May 2025, as it marked the beginning of its 180th anniversary year, Queen’s University Belfast was recognised as the first University of Sanctuary in Northern Ireland, in acknowledgement of the support it provides to local refugee, asylum-seeker and migrant communities, as well as the enhanced opportunities it offers to access higher education. From launching the first Sanctuary scholarships to creating this website, from signing the Sanctuary pledge to establishing our internal Sanctuary Organisational Group, and from community consultations to hosting the first Sanctuary Coffee Mornings, we are proud of our Path to Sanctuary milestones, and mindful that the award marks only the beginning.

Sanctuary Timeline

FEATURED

ABOUT US

Below, you can explore the existing support systems, opportunities, projects, and research initiatives already in place at Queen's University for our migrant, asylum seeker, and refugee communities.

Group of diverse people standing in front of Lanyon building
INTERNAL SANCTUARY OPERATIONAL GROUP

As part of the University’s Strategy 2030, under the Social and Civic Responsibility, and Economic Prosperity pillar, securing the University of Sanctuary award has been identified as a strategic priority for Queen's University Belfast.

The Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Directorate has been tasked with coordinating these efforts and leading the development of a future strategy.

To ensure the success of the award and its long-term impact, the Path to Sanctuary Operational Group has been established as a permanent structure. Bringing together representatives from a wide range of university directorates, schools, and services, the group works collaboratively to oversee the implementation of the three-year strategy and to embed the University’s Sanctuary commitments beyond the award itself.

The Internal sanctuary Operational group is serviced by the Office of the Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Directorate, and reports to the Civic University and Strategic Engagement Committee.

Its Chair is the Director of Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility, while ex officio members are:

  • Head of Public Engagement
  • Head of Diversity & Inclusion
  • Head of Social Impact and Civic Responsibility
  • Social Impact and Civic Responsibility Manager
  • Two Civic Engagement Officers
  • University of Sanctuary Coordinator
  • Widening Participation Manager
  • Widening Participation Outreach Officer
  • Head of Admissions and Access
  • International Scholarships Co-Ordinator
  • Directors of Open Learning Programme
  • Three Academic Colleagues
  • International Student Advisor
  • Queen’s University Students’ Union Equality & Diversity Officer
  • Queen’s University Students’ Union Campaigns and Engagement Officer
  • President of the Student Action For Refugees (STAR) Society
  • Communications Officer
  • Asylum Seeker Scholarship Recipient
  • Fellowship Recipient
  • Other Staff or Students when required
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INTERNAL NETWORKS

These networks are established within Queen's University Belfast and are dedicated to fostering inclusion, addressing inequalities, and supporting specific communities or initiatives within the university environment. They aim to provide spaces for networking, support, and collaboration among their respective communities or individuals, as well as creating a sense of belonging and addressing systemic issues.

iRISE: a peer QUB network open to all academic and professional services staff who identify as, or are characterised as, BAME and/or international, aiming to contribute to addressing misrepresentation, inequalities and unbelonging within the academic functions at Queen’s University Belfast.

Racial Equity Champions (REC) Network: a network established to support Queen’s University in its work on REC, and racial inequality more broadly. The network is made up of staff from all of our Schools and Directorates who are passionate about advancing race equality, and have knowledge and expertise in this area.

African Scholars Research Network (AfSRN): a non-institutional network, founded by Queen's University staff and students, to support the recognition and flourishing of both academic and non-academic researchers in Northern Ireland, who are Africa-born or of African-descent.

QUB Sanctuary on Teams: In 2020, the Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Team collated a contact list of staff (and some students) across the University working on or with an interest in relevant issues, and created the QUB Sanctuary Team (on Microsoft Teams) as a forum for staff members to keep each other informed about initiatives and events. Please, contact us to be added to the Team.

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EXTERNAL NETWORKS

Queen's University is a member institution of the SAR Ireland Committee. Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of higher education institutions dedicated to protecting threatened scholars, preventing attacks on higher education communities and promoting academic freedom worldwide. Scholars at Risk-Ireland is the Irish section of SAR. The SAR-Ireland committee has representatives from universities on the island of Ireland.

Queen's University is also forging new relationships and expanding its networks with local, national, and international organisations. Among these collaborations are currently Belfast City of Sanctuary and Anaka Women’s Collective: they exemplify our university's commitment to partnering with organisations dedicated to fostering inclusion and supporting marginalised communities. By working together with these groups, we continue our journey towards creating a more equitable and welcoming environment for all.

Belfast City of Sanctuary: the group’s aim is to promote and build a culture of welcome and hospitality for people seeking sanctuary and a home in Belfast.

Anaka Women’s Collective: a Belfast-based women's collective, led by women with direct experience of the asylum system, who use their collective skills to educate, advocate for and celebrate each other.

Queen’s University, through its Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Team, has also increasingly supported meetings and events by offering space, logistical help, and refreshments. The team also works in consultation and co-design with a wide range of organisations, including Asylum Seeker Voices NI, the British Red Cross, Starling Collective, Barnardo’s, Corrymeela, and more recently ACSONI (African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland), Angaza Happy Women, Belfast Asian Women, the Belfast Islamic Centre, Beyond Skin, BOMOKO, Counselling All Nations, Diverse Youth NI, Friends of Afghan Women Network, HAPANI (Horn of Africa People's Aid Northern Ireland), Include Youth NI, Index on Censorship, Law Centre NI, Migrant Centre NI, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking NI, Minorities Recognition Award NI, Soultrane Festival, Soudanese Youth and Women NI, Toybox Project (Early Years), Voicing the Void, the Home Office Windrush Engagement Team, and many others.

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Diverse group of five people standing in front of the Lanyon building
SCHOLARSHIPS

Sanctuary Scholarships Update

Our previous Asylum Seekers’ Sanctuary Scholarships are currently under review as we work to enhance and improve them. Updated information and links will be shared here once the review process is complete, with the new scholarships available from January 2026.

In the meantime, the University continues to offer four full-time Copty Scholarships, open to applicants of Palestinian nationality residing in Gaza or the West Bank.

two young professionals in a lab, one using a microscope
FELLOWSHIPS

To support academics from conflict-affected regions, Queen’s has partnered with the Council for At Risk Academics (Cara) to create and fund three Queen’s University Fellowships per year. These fellowships will run for two years and offer academics at risk around the world an opportunity to come to Queen’s to continue their academic pursuits safely.

As detailed in the House of Commons Library, "At-risk academics are those facing discrimination, persecution, suffering, and violence because of threats to their life, liberty, or career. Some at-risk academics in immediate danger of arrest, injury, or even death are forced into exile, while others choose to work on in their home countries despite such threats. At-risk academics can include researchers, scholars, and scientists at all stages of their research careers, from doctoral students through to professors. While some academics at risk have recognised refugee status or similar protections having fled their home countries, many might hold temporary visas or work permits through visiting researcher positions at host universities in Europe or elsewhere."

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Sari on a bed
RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT

Queen's University Belfast is actively engaged in sanctuary research, focusing on issues affecting migrants and ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland. Through collaborations with various organisations such as the Migrant and Minority Ethnic Thinktank NI and Belfast City of Sanctuary, Queen's is facilitating scholarship and research activities to address these issues and create further connections within the community.

Various initiatives and projects at Queen's University aim at fostering understanding, supporting marginalised communities, addressing key societal issues, also by exploring migrant experiences through creative methods and promoting mental health support.

Click here to find out more about Queen's University Belfast Sanctuary-related research and engagement.

OpenLearning
OPEN LEARNING PROGRAMME SANCTUARY COURSES

Queen’s University Open Learning Programme, recognising the importance of supporting and welcoming migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, offers a number of courses to build capacity and intercultural understanding.

These include: courses offering skills to teachers and classroom assistants in the primary and post-primary sectors on how to develop intercultural schools, delivered in partnership with the Education Authority, teaching English to volunteers who wish to engage with teaching migrants and asylum seekers English, in partnership with Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre and 10-week and one day workshops on understanding refugee and asylum seeker issues. For more details on these courses you can visit the Open Learning courses page.

We also offer a range of counselling courses on trauma, delivered in partnership with the WAVE Trauma Centre.  For more information on counselling courses email trauma.education@wavetrauma.org.

Concession rates, where applicable, are available for those on State Benefits (including state pension) and full-time students and people who wish to join the courses do not need any prior qualifications. The teaching and learning style is informal and accessible and adult learners are valued and respected for their knowledge and expertise.

The Programme is always open to developing new courses with community partners.

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LanguageCentre
SANCTUARY LANGUAGES

Asylum seekers and refugees in Northern Ireland come from a variety of countries, the majority of which are Arabic-speaking.
If you'd like to be able to converse with your new neighbours, why not study Arabic at QUB Language Centre - the Arabic language is taught at many levels, from beginners (with an online option) through to intermediate.

The Nigerian Languages and Cultures Taster Series (NLCTS) is a collaborative initiative of the Nigerian Society (NS) and the Language Centre (LC). It is an opportunity for the Nigerian Society to share Nigeria with the Queen’s community and for Queen’s to have institutional investment in Nigeria and the Nigerian student community. This will help to encourage prospective students from Nigeria, as well as helping the current Nigerian student cohort to feel more at home in Belfast.

In the Spring term of 2025, a new initiative between Queen’s Language Centre and the Civic Engagement team was launched, which focused on the Romanian language. A free series of six Romanian language lunches was offered to students, staff, and external organisations working with Romanian-speaking communities, including Roma families. These sessions, led by Sorina Toma, covered the basics of the language, as well as some valuable cultural context. This initiative helped to forge links between the Queen’s community and the local Romanian community, and it is hoped that it will ignite further interest on campus in the Romanian language and cultural traditions.

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OtherWaysWeCanSupport
OTHER WAYS WE CAN SUPPORT

Queen's University's efforts to promote access to resources and support services for our migrant communities are reflected in the Widening Participation Pathway Opportunity Programme now including Newcomers, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers aged 16 to 19, and the McClay Library providing free one-year Associate Personal Memberships to academics or students displaced by conflict seeking sanctuary in Northern Ireland.

Our Path To Sanctuary Blog
Sanctuary as an Institutional Priority
Coffee in the Castle Blog
Our Sanctuary Coffee Mornings
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