Transcript:

 

President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer:

As 2023-2024 draws to a close, I wanted to congratulate you all on the end of another academic year and to thank you again for all your hard work and support.

This has been another outstanding year for Queen’s – one in which our students continued to inspire and energise us all.

It was a year when we continued to use our position to address the challenges faced by individuals and communities at the local, regional and global level, including responding to conflicts that continue to impact on the lives of innocent people, and the existential threat posed by climate change.

This was certainly a landmark year.

Queen’s was awarded prestigious Athena Swan Gold status for work in promoting gender equality in higher education, positioning us as the first university on the island of Ireland – and only the second in the UK – to receive this distinguished accolade.

We launched our civic mission by pledging to become a Civic University and a University of Sanctuary, so building on Queen’s proud heritage as a place for open debate and dialogue; our role as a leader in equality, diversity and inclusion; and the University’s historic role in contributing to the social, cultural and economic backdrop of Northern Ireland.

We worked collaboratively to reach an agreement with our Trade Unions – NIPSA, UCU and Unite – on a first of its kind three-year pay deal, a deal that provides certainty for our staff and students over the next three academic years.

We continued to drive forward in pursuit of our Net Zero ambitions, hosting REACH '24, Queen's first arts and sustainability festival, in April.

We also launched our new Annual Sustainability Report, alongside implementing a wide range of sustainability initiatives and interventions.

We climbed two places to reach the top 25 of universities in the UK, and 28 of our subjects are in the top 20 in this year’s annual Complete University Guide rankings.

Queen's has been named as one of the world’s top universities for the study of 31 subjects in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

We have made a great deal of progress on the implementation of Strategy 2030. So thank you for the role each and every one of you has played, and for everything you do to make this place and our community so special.

I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you a few senior leadership updates:

• Professor Stuart Elborn will retire from his current post as interim Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in July of this year. Stuart has made an absolutely enormous contribution, not only to Queen’s through his commitment and leadership over many years but also through his outstanding clinical work and world-leading medical research, directly impacting on the lives of many people. I know you will join me in thanking him for his outstanding service.
• I am pleased to announce the substantive appointment of Professor Richard Miles as our new Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education, Enterprise and Engagement) at The University of Sydney, Richard will take up post in February 2025.

Professor Richard Miles:

Thank you, Ian. I am delighted and honoured to be joining the Queen’s University Belfast community and I look forward to taking up post at the beginning of 2025.

I’m currently speaking to you from uncharacteristically grey Sydney, where I am completing my current assignment at The University of Sydney.

Queen’s University Belfast’s standing on the world stage – through its excellent teaching, research and civic engagement – is well recognised. I'm very excited about working with all of you to implement the ambition of the excellent Strategy 2030, and I will focus on supporting the Vice-Chancellor in leading the academic and overall development of the University and will co-chair the Strategy 2030 Implementation Committee. I plan to visit the University again early in the new academic year, and I'm really looking forward to meeting with you all in due course.

President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer:

In other senior appointments, I would like to extend my thanks to Alistair Finlay, who has completed our governance review establishing the new structures over the last 18 months.

At my request, Alistair has kindly agreed to assume a new role as Associate Vice-President for Operations and Special Projects, effective from July 1st. To facilitate this transition and ensure efficiency, I will not be replacing the role of University Secretary. The existing responsibilities will instead be split among the current Vice-Presidents, alongside their existing portfolios. More information on these changes is in the all-staff email that accompanies this video.

Additionally, following an external recruitment process, I am pleased to announce that Maria Lee has been appointed to the substantive role of Director of Academic Services – a post that she has filled on an interim basis for almost three years. I'm also delighted that, after six months serving on an interim basis, Elizabeth McLaughlin has also been appointed to the substantive role of Director of Student and Campus Experience.

I wish Richard, Alistair, Maria and Liz every success in their new positions, and I again express my thanks to Stuart for his work and support over many years.

Once again, my thanks for your hard work this year. I’d like to wish you an enjoyable summer and hope that all of you get the chance to enjoy some well-earned rest and time with the family and friends during the summer period.