This comes during the 100th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the founding patron of the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education, the highest honour awarded to universities and colleges in the United Kingdom. 2026 is also the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in the USA.

In this historic year, the Royal Anniversary Trust has devised the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education: USA Exchange, to celebrate and commemorate both Her Majesty’s dedication to education and her tireless commitment to international diplomacy - in particular, the UK’s special relationship with the USA.

The Exchange will bring representatives from eight Prize-winning alumni institutions to Washington DC for a four-day programme in October 2026 to meet with selected US academics who work in similar fields. It is designed to provide opportunities for new transatlantic collaborations and partnerships between UK and US universities and colleges that will have a beneficial legacy in the long term.

Queen’s University is one of only eight UK universities and colleges selected by a panel of eminent judges including representatives from the Trust’s Higher and Further Education Panels.

Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of the Royal Anniversary Trust said:

“The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education: USA Exchange is a landmark initiative, launched in a year of historical significance on both sides of the Atlantic. Honouring Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring legacy in education and diplomacy, the programme brings together the very best of UK academic excellence with leading minds in the United States. By convening Prize-winning alumni institutions in Washington DC, the Exchange creates an unparalleled platform for forging ambitious transatlantic partnerships with a lasting global impact.”

The UK institutions participating in the USA Exchange are all former winners of the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education.

Queen’s was awarded a Prize in 2015 for the Centre for Secure Information Technologies. During the Exchange Queen’s will be partnering with Northeastern University’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute to advance research, education, and international collaboration in cybersecurity and AI.

Speaking about the Prize, President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer, said:

“We are truly delighted to be selected for this prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education, as the highest honour for universities. We are proud of the world-leading research we have undertaken in the field of cyber-security and are excited to share knowledge and learnings with Northeastern University, with whom we have already enjoy a strong partnership.”

The full list of participants includes: University of the Arts London, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, City of Glasgow College, Keele University, Queen’s University Belfast, Scotland’s Rural College and University Centre Somerset College Group.

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