QUB Shared Education Work Receives Royal Recognition

Queen's University Belfast is to be honoured by Her Majesty the Queen for its work on Shared Education.

The concept has made a considerable impact on Northern Ireland and beyond by providing economic, social and educational benefits to children and schools through cross-denominational collaboration.

The recognition is the seventh time the university has received a Queen's Anniversary Prize, which is part of the national honours system and recognises outstanding achievement by universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.

Beginning as a pilot programme with just 12 schools in 2007, Shared Education has been adopted by more than 700 schools and over 60,000 pupils involved in regular, shared classes with schools from different denominations.

Through its model of cross-sectoral school collaboration, using a strong academic research base, it has become a core pillar of education policy and practice in Northern Ireland and has been adopted by educators and policymakers in other divided societies across the world.

Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Greer welcomed the recognition. He said: "To receive a national honour such as the Queen's Anniversary Prize for the University's work on Shared Education is a privilege and one which affirms the world leading work that takes place here.

"It is an outstanding achievement, with all submissions subject to a rigorous assessment as part of a highly competitive process. It is testament to the innovation and excellence of our staff that this is the seventh time the University has received this honour."

Shared Education was among the recipients announced at a special ceremony at St James' Palace in London on Thursday evening, 21 November. The Queen's Anniversary Prize will be presented at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February.

The project has received support from Atlantic Philanthropies, the International Fund for Ireland and The Executive Office of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The mission at Queen's is delivered through research, programme delivery, education and training.

Professor Joanne Hughes, Director of the Centre for Shared Education at Queen's, commented: "The impact of this work is being felt not only in Northern Ireland but across the world."

Professor Tony Gallagher, from the Centre for Shared Education at Queen's added: "Queen’s University is now recognised internationally for its Shared Education and the positive impact it is having in post-conflict societies. This award is a tribute to the many hundreds of teachers and thousands of pupils who have helped make Shared Education work. Not only is it transforming the education sector in Northern Ireland but we are working with academics and educators to adapt the model to other divided cities and countries like Jerusalem, Beirut, Los Angles, Kosovo and North Macedonia."



(JG/CM)