Staff are invited to join a morning of insight, inspiration, and celebration on Wednesday 5 November, as we mark Queen’s achievement of the prestigious Gold STARS Award for sustainability excellence.

The event will take place from 10.00am to 12.00pm in the Canada Room and Council Chamber, Lanyon Building, with breakfast from 10.00am and the panel + Q&A session from 10.30am.

• Register here: Sustainability in Action 2025

The Staff Excellence Awards are open for nominations. These annual awards recognise and celebrate the remarkable contributions of individual colleagues and teams across our university community – from researchers and teaching staff to technicians, professional services staff, operational staff and administrators who embody Queen’s core values.

Please submit your nominations by Monday 10 November at 5.00pm. 

• Find out more and submit a nomination: Staff Excellence Awards

As we approach quarter-end, colleagues are asked to please ensure that all sales invoices are fully approved and posted to QFIS within 14 days of the supply date/ the activity being completed, in order to comply with VAT regulations and to ensure that VAT is accounted for in the correct VAT return.

If there are any invoices where the supply took place more than 14 days ago, please ensure these are fully approved and posted to QFIS by the end of the day on Friday 31 October.

The University is currently recruiting for a number of positions internally.

Staff can view internal and external vacancies through iTrent Employee Self-Service.

This year, we are celebrating the real-world impact of our research, education and partnerships – told through the voices of those we've helped.

“For us, it’s about knowing someone is listening, that we’re not on our own. And that we’re being given the tools to help ourselves.”

Read Marie Therese's story.

Our case studies demonstrate the impact we've had on the health and wellbeing of our society, our dedication to innovation and technology and our commitment to sustainability. They prove the social value we add and showcase our growing community partnerships.

“I Shouldn’t Be Here. But I Am.”

Read Alan's story.

We are pleased to announce that 126 colleagues have progressed in the 2025 Academic Progression exercise. 

• View the list of featured colleagues here.

The Department of Education is consulting on proposals on The Future of CCEA GCSEs, AS levels and A levels.

The Centre for Educational Development asks colleagues to consult the Department of Education website to review the proposed changes, and submit your response via the form below. These responses will be collated to form our institutional response to the proposed changes.

• Submit your response here. This form will close on Friday 31 October to allow collation of responses.

Queen's Research Directorate has launched the University's new Research Culture Roadmap.

This new roadmap builds on progress made since the 2020 Research Culture Action Plan. It sets out a framework for strengthening our research environment and will guide collaborative projects identified by the Research Culture Community.

• Full story: Launching the Research Culture Roadmap.
• Find out more and keep up to date: Research Culture at Queen's.

The Staff Menopause Support Fund provides financial assistance for staff who are experiencing menopause/menopausal symptoms to be more comfortable in the workplace by contributing towards the purchase costs associated with reasonable adjustments. This could include the purchase of:

• A fan
• Fitting blinds to windows
• Where uniforms are compulsory, providing additional spare uniforms, or uniforms in different sizes

As part of the University’s ongoing digital transformation work to enhance the staff experience, some forms for specific types of leave have now been automated. This enhanced automation of HR processes aims to modernise workflows for efficiency and ease of use by staff.

The first phase of this rollout focuses on automating forms for family-related leave, including:

• Maternity leave
• Dependent leave (Including Bereavement leave)
• Paternity/Partner leave
• Adoption leave
• Unpaid leave

The 'Violence Against Women and Girls' Report, 'Safer Streets, Shared Voices', was launched on Monday 13 October. The report offers insights from public workshops on preventing violence against women and girls in outdoor public spaces in Belfast. It brings forward the perspectives of people from across Belfast, from a wide range of backgrounds, and provides recommendations for preventing violence against women and girls in outdoor public spaces.

• Read the 'Safer Streets, Shared Voices' Report here.
• View the Report infographic here.

The University and the Students’ Union encourage all staff to familiarise themselves with our online reporting tool, Report + Support. This system enables students* to request support if they have experienced or witnessed:

• bullying;
• harassment;
• hate crime;
• domestic abuse;
• stalking;
• scams;
• and/or sexual misconduct.

Victim Support NI’s Sexual Offences Legal Advisors (SOLA) service is now open to both staff and students at Queen’s.

A series of in-person drop-in sessions with the SOLA service will take place on the following dates, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm in One Elmwood (Level 1, Student Information Point, Support Room 5), where staff and students can speak directly to an advisor:

• Wednesday 28 October
• Tuesday 18 November
• Tuesday 9 December

Lectures timetabled in centrally bookable spaces are recorded automatically via Panopto, unless you have opted out.

• Automatic start/stop: Recording begins 5 minutes after the lecture starts and ends 5 minutes before it finishes. You don’t need to open Panopto manually.
• Finishing early? If you finish before the scheduled end time, press F10 to stop the recording before logging off. Otherwise, audio and video may continue to be captured.

Queen's is proud to celebrate Black History Month 2025 with a vibrant line-up of events taking place on campus throughout October.

This year’s Black History Month events offer an engaging and insightful journey through Black history and culture, and reflect the outstanding work and contributions of our African Scholars Research Network, African Caribbean Student Society, Africa and Africans at Queen's Network, iRISE, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team and the Students’ Union.

• View the full programme and register for upcoming events here.

October is UK Cyber Security Awareness Month, and the Digital and Information Services directorate is rolling out a variety of optional training for colleagues to complete across the coming weeks.

• Staff will receive periodic emails from cybersecurity-training@qub.ac.uk with further details.
• Please contact abuse@qub.ac.uk with any queries.

• Information on breast screening for women
• Cancer Focus NI leaflet on how to self-examine
• Read about breast cancer in men

1 in 2 of us will experience cancer at some point in our lives. Dealing with a diagnosis – either your own or that of a loved one – can be life-changing. 

We are there to help support staff living and working with cancer and would encourage you to:

• Discuss your circumstances with your line manager so support and any reasonable adjustments can be put in place
• Contact the Staff Wellbeing team at staffwellbeing@qub.ac.uk
• Avail of our excellent Employee Assistance Programme free, confidential counselling support

The following courses are available to support staff wellbeing within Queen’s.

• One-to-one Financial Advice sessions (for Talk Money Week, with Kith & Kin): 3 and 5 November. Book your place here. In-person sessions are still available.
• Working through Change and Building Resilience: Wednesday 17 December, online. Register via iTrent Self-Service – search for 'Wellbeing' to see available courses.

We have updated our Business Travel Policy to reflect our commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2040.

The updated policy recognises the essential role that travel plays in academic collaboration, research, and recruitment, while promoting responsible and sustainable travel choices across the University, and provides guidance to help staff evaluate the necessity of travel and support for low-carbon alternatives where feasible.

• Read the Sustainable Business Travel Policy. 
• Use our Air Travel Justification Tool to help you assess the importance of attending conferences and events in person, supporting more informed and sustainable travel choices.

At Queen’s, 1 in 5 staff members have indicated they are working carers.

If you are a carer, please consider availing of our Carer Passport initiative aimed at enhancing support for staff with caring responsibilities.

The Carer Passport promotes understanding of your needs as a carer, enabling your manager to put in place the flexibility needed to support your individual circumstances where possible.

• Find out more about support for carers at Queen's.

Queen's staff can avail of free, confidential Staff Counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme.

Interested staff are invited to register for Queen's Sport's 'Strength for All' Term 2 wellbeing course, taking place on Tuesdays over seven weeks from 28 October to 9 December from 1.00pm to 1.45pm in the PEC.

• Find out more and register: Strength for All Term 2.

Queen’s Reverse Mentoring programme 2025-26 is now open to applications from staff mentees. Any colleagues interested in being mentored by a Queen’s student, to gain insight into the student experience, are welcome to apply.

• To express your interest, complete this form by Friday 24 October.
• Find out more: Queen's Reverse Mentoring

Staff are invited to the event 'AI and the Future of Work' on Wednesday 22 October, from 4.00pm at Riddel Hall. At this event, Rt Hon Lord (David) Willetts FRS, Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology, will facilitate a discussion on AI and the Future of Work with a distinguished guest panel. Full details can be found at the registration link below.

• Register here to attend in-person: 'AI and the Future of Work' (places are limited)

• NEW: AI for Educators Canvas Course: The AI for Educators course is now live on Canvas. This new Canvas course is designed to help student-facing staff use AI with confidence. Explore four modules – Basics, Teaching & Learning, Assessment & Feedback, and Research – with hands-on AI Skills Build activities. Enrol on the AI for Educators Canvas course here.
• AI Lightning Talks – recordings: Queen's colleagues talk about how they are putting AI into practice.
• Jisc Training Opportunities: From October to December 2025, Jisc will be running AI literacy curriculum for teaching and learning staff, designed to build confidence and critical awareness in using AI.

All staff and students, families and friends are invited to attend the University’s Remembrance Day Ceremony on Sunday 9 November at 11.00am at the cenotaph, Lanyon Building.

Staff are invited to view the latest edition of the Research and Innovation Newsletter.

This newsletter provides the entire research community at Queen’s with information on the latest news, announcements and events related to their researcher journey and on Research and Innovation activities at Queen’s.

• Queen's Green Fund. Deadline for applications: Friday 7 November.
• Research and Innovation Conference Fund. Open across the 2025-26 academic year. Applications must be submitted at least one month before conference attendance.

Other research funding information can be found on the Queen's Research intranet site.

Recent posts from Queen's Policy Engagement (QPol):

• Trump Blaming Mothers for Autism Should Not Surprise Anyone, by Dr Aishling McMorrow
• A Protestant candidate has added a twist to Ireland’s presidential race, by Dr Peter McLoughlin
• Queen’s Global Economic Forum – Report, by Dr Peter Gilleece

The Conversation is a news website featuring articles by academics, often republished to global media outlets. Articles by Queen's academics published in The Conversation have been read by 23.8 million people internationally. Read the latest:

• Scary stories for kids: Watership Down made me aware of my mortality at four, by Aislinn Clarke
• A Protestant candidate has added a twist to Ireland's presidential race, by Dr Peter John McLoughlin

Read the latest staff news stories on the Staff News and Community Gateway:

• Queen's Professor awarded prestigious Parsons Medal
• Staff members progress in the 2025 Academic Progression exercise
• Queen’s Professor named Fellow of the American Physical Society
• Queen’s Accommodation wins national Operational Excellence Award
• Universities Ireland Conference opens at Queen’s with call for deeper cross-border collaboration
• Queen’s University joins UK Prime Minister’s trade delegation to India ahead of new GIFT City campus

The Internal Communications Team in the Civic Engagement and Strategic Communications Directorate will hold the following Drop-in Sessions during Autumn 2025..

• Wednesday 5 November, 2.00pm to 4.00pm, Graduate School, room TR5
• Tuesday 25 November, 2.00pm to 4.00pm, Graduate School, room GR7

Colleagues across the University are welcome to drop in individually or in groups of up to four colleagues for guidance on approaches to help promote information or initiatives to internal audiences, or for advice on internal communication challenges.

Our latest 'Spotlight on our Staff' profile features Ayman Zagloul, Head of People and Culture Digital Systems and Analytics in the People and Culture Directorate.

Find out more about how Ayman’s multifaceted role is helping to enhance the staff experience across the University through the power of analytics and data-driven insights.

• Read Ayman's profile.

The Centre for Biomedical Sciences Education invites staff to the Vincent Ewing Public Lecture, 2025, taking place on Tuesday 16 December at 2.00pm in the Basement Lecture Theatre, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute, Health Sciences campus.

The guest speaker is Dr Ourania Varsou (School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow) who will speak on 'GenAI Past, Present and Future: A Human-Centred Lens on Technology, Education and Society'.

All are welcome.

Staff are invited to the John Bell Day Lecture 2025 (online) on Friday 7 November from 10.00am to 11.30am via Zoom.

This year’s guest speaker is Professor Andreas Wallraff (ETH Zurich).

• Please register here to receive the meeting link.

The annual Psychology PGR conference will take place on Friday 24 October from 9.30am in the Great Hall, Lanyon Building, followed by a social event.

The conference will feature a full day of talks and keynotes from Queen's postgraduate researchers and invited speakers, celebrating the exciting research taking place across the School of Psychology.

• More information / Register: Psychology PGR Conference.

Staff are invited to join an inspiring panel discussion, 'Pride in our Roots, Power in Our Future', on Monday 27 October from 3.00pm to 4.30pm in the Canada Room and Council Chamber. No registration is required.

This event brings together voices from across Northern Ireland to explore identity and belonging, while celebrating and reflecting on the impact and contributions of our Black community.

Staff are invited to attend a thought-provoking seminar with Dr Njabulo Chipangura (Maynooth University), ‘Whose Stories Are Told by Museums with African Collections from Colonial Contexts’, on Thursday 23 October from 3.00pm to 4.30pm in 13 University Square 0G/010. Taking place during Black History Month, this interesting seminar will explore how museums curate African collections acquired in colonial contexts.

• Find out more and reserve your place here.
• View the full programme of events for Black History Month here.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Festival of Social Science NI takes place from 18 October to 8 November, celebrating research and knowledge about humans and society.

Queen’s and Ulster University have come together to curate and create an entertaining and informative programme of 18 talks, workshops and exhibitions. All events are free to attend.

• Find out more and register: ESRC Festival NI 2025

Staff are invited to West Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter on Wednesday 22 October at 1.00pm for a lively afternoon of fresh ideas and community conversation showcasing new and ongoing research reflecting the broad themes of language, community, learning, and wellbeing.

• Find out more and register here.

The Mitchell Institute Event List for September to November is now available.

Staff are invited to the following events. Find out more and register at the links below:

• Seminar: Motherhood During and After 'The Troubles': Women's Everyday Life Peacebuilding in the Family Sphere, Tuesday 21 October, 4.00pm to 5.30pm, Senate Room, Lanyon Building
• Seminar: Constructing Victimhood: Beyond Innocence and Guilt in Transitional Justice, Wednesday 29 October, 1.00pm to 2.30pm, Edgar Graham Room, School of Law, Main Site Tower
• Conference: 40 Years On: Reflecting on the Anglo-Irish Agreement, Tuesday 11 November, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Riddel Hall

Advance HE has opened this year’s National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) with a submission date of 11 March 2026 for both schemes.

Colleagues interested in applying to these awards are invited to an online briefing session led by Dr Rachel Scudamore on Tuesday 28 October from 2.00pm to 3.30pm.

• Register here: NTFS and CATE awards online briefing session

• Career Audit and Skills for the Future. Thursday 30 October, 11.00am to 3.00pm, Seminar Room, First Floor, 63 University Road.
• New Postdoc Induction (in person). Wednesday 5 November, 1.30pm to 4.30pm, Seminar Room, First Floor, 63 University Road.
• Decision Making – Career Choices (in person). Tuesday 18 November, 9.30am to 1.00pm, Seminar Room, 63 University Road.
• Supervising Skills for Assistant Supervisors and Postdocs. Monday 1 December, 9.30am to 12.00pm, online.

All research-active staff are invited to an online training event on 'How to manage your research data', taking place on Thursday 6 November from 5.00pm to 6.00pm (BST) via MS Teams. This training is only offered once in semester 1, 2025.

• Register here: 'How to manage your research data' - online training
• Find out more: 'How to manage your research data'

Details of ongoing works being carried out across the University campus can be found on the Estates Directorate webpage.

This week’s new and returning films at Queen’s Film Theatre, your cinema on campus.

• Gerry Adams: A Ballymurphy Man
• I Swear
• Princess Mononoke
• Souleymane's Story

In celebration of Black History Month, Queen's Film Theatre is screening the following films. All are welcome. Find out more and book your tickets below.

• Cinema Rediscovered: Nationalité: Immigré – Tuesday 21 October
• One Potato Two Potato – Monday 27 October
• Souleymane's Story – 20-21, 23, 25, 27, 30 October

View the full programme of events for Black History Month here.

Learning and Development's upcoming training events for staff include:

• PDR Skills sessions:
  • PDR Skills for Reviewers: 21 October, 13 November
  • PDR Skills for Reviewees: 27 November
• Planning My Career Development: 23 October, 25 November
• Get Ready for Management and Leadership: 28 October, 4 December
• Skills for Effective Mentoring: 12 November, 16 December

The following training, offered by the Centre for Educational Development, is now available.

• Advisor of Studies Training Day, 16 January 2026, 9.00am to 1.00pm, location TBC. A half-day workshop equipping attendees with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively support and guide our students.

• 2019/20 Canvas Modules will be archived on 3 November 2025: Staff are advised that Canvas courses from the academic year 2019/2020 will be archived on 3 November 2025 as part of the annual Canvas Archiving process. Following the transfer of the modules to the archiving system, the courses in Canvas will be deleted and will no longer be accessible. Staff are advised to download any materials they wish to retain before 31 October 2025.
  
  For more information, please see the Canvas VLE Retention Policy.

The following training sessions are now available to book via the Digital Learning Training Events calendar.

• Excel: Creating Charts: Tuesday 21 October, 9.30am to 10.30am
• Panopto – Getting Started with Lecture Capture: Wednesday 22 October, 9.30am to 11.00am
• Microsoft Lists: An Introduction: Wednesday 22 October, 10.30am to 11.30am
• Microsoft Bookings: Create a Shared Bookings Page: Thursday 23 October, 10.30am to 11.30am
• Excel: Introduction to PivotTables: Friday 24 October, 9.30am to 10.30am

The Safety Training programme for the forthcoming academic year is available on the University Safety Service Training webpage. The full range of courses can be booked via iTrent Employee Self-Service.

Training sessions for the rest of October and November are given below. All sessions are in person.