The Award reflects several years of detailed institutional self‑assessment, including extensive engagement with staff and students, a University‑wide racial equity survey, and collaborative work led by the University’s REC Self‑Assessment Team and its REC Champions Network.

Speaking of the Award, Queen’s President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Ian Greer, said:

“Achieving this REC Bronze Award is an incredible milestone for Queen’s. The Award recognises the incredible work undertaken so far across the institution, but more importantly, it reflects our commitment to sustained and meaningful action.

“Our staff and students have been instrumental in growing the University’s awareness and understanding of the barriers faced by minority staff and students and in identifying our specific priority areas for action. We will continue to listen, learn and work from our staff and students to build a truly inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong and can succeed.”

The Race Equality Charter’s mission is to improve the representation, experience, progression and success of minority staff and students within higher education. It provides a rigorous and robust framework through which institutions work to critically reflect and act on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of the progression and success of staff and students from minority ethnic backgrounds.

In recent years, Queen’s has strengthened its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, most recently through the appointment of three new Academic Lead roles for Race and Cultural Inclusion, Gender Equality, and LGBTQIA+ and Disability Inclusion, the consultation on a new EDI Strategy and enhanced collaboration with both trade unions and staff and student networks.

The University has also expanded its mentoring support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues, delivered a number of campus safety events, Active Bystander and inclusive leadership training, and increased student‑led activity through the Student REC Network.

The REC Bronze Award builds on the sector-leading Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work. In 2024, the work of Queen’s Gender Initiative saw the University recognised as the first institution in Ireland - and only the second in the UK - to receive an Athena Swan Gold Award.  It also reflects the broader civic commitments, including its recent designation as a University of Sanctuary, highlighting our support for local refugee, asylum-seeker, and migrant communities. 

As part of the award, the University will implement its new REC Action Plan 2026–2031, which includes targeted measures to improve representation and progression, address underlying causes of student awarding gaps and embed inclusive approaches to teaching and curriculum design.

“In celebrating this great achievement, it is important to acknowledge all the hard work from our REC Institutional Self-Assessment Team and REC Champions Network, which has been crucial in delivering this achievement. I would like particularly to acknowledge the work of Lauren Gallagher and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team, who have worked so diligently in this space for many years now. I am also delighted to be working with Professor Wei Sha, who will now lead on the delivery of our ambitious action plan.”

Anne Mwangi, Head of the Race Equality Charter, added:

“REC Bronze is recognition of an institution’s robust foundation for eliminating racial inequalities, developing inclusive cultures and moving from commitment to sustainable and integrated bold and ambitious action.

“Advance HE looks forward to supporting Queen’s University Belfast as it progresses its action plans to advance race equality.”