National recognition for Queen's Equality and Diversity Champions
On Friday 23 March 2018, the winners of the Northern Ireland Equality and Diversity Awards were announced at Titanic Belfast and it was a night of celebration for the University which collected two awards for its work in this field.
Now in its second year, the Northern Ireland Equality and Diversity Gala, hosted by Legal Island and sponsored by Jones Cassidy Brett Solicitors and Diamond Recruitment, is attended by a wide range employers such as The Northern Ireland Office, Deloitte, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Pinsent Masons LLP and Belfast City Council.
The University was represented by the following individuals who were shortlisted for awards this year:
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Individual Diversity Champion (Education Sector): Professor Tom Millar
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Individual Diversity Champion (Education Sector): Professor Yvonne Galligan
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Best LGBT initiative: Queen's Diversity and Inclusion Unit (for its institutional Transgender Equality initiative)
The highlight of the evening was the recognition of work carried out by two Queen's equality and diversity champions, Director of the Queen's Gender Initiative, Professor Yvonne Galligan and outgoing Chair of Athena SWAN, Professor Tom Millar, who were both shortlisted for the same award – Individual Diversity Champion (Education Sector). After collecting his award, Professor Tom Millar thanked all colleagues at Queen's who have led the way, over the years, in progressing a wide range of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives at the University:
"While I am, of course, very pleased to have won the award, the work that underpins it could never have been done without the wonderful, generous and committed support of our SWAN Champions, the Diversity and Inclusion Unit, Human Resources, the Students' Union, Queen's Gender Initiative, UOB, UEB, and Senate. And I want to acknowledge a special thanks to Yvonne Galligan, Cathy Tolan and Denise Price who have shared in my efforts and provided much good advice and wisdom over the past 10 years."