A member of the Russell Group of the UK's 20 leading research-intensive universities, Queen's was founded by Queen Victoria in 1845 as one of three Queen's Colleges in Ireland. It became an independent university in its own right in 1908 and today combines an international academic reputation as a leader in innovation and education with an outstanding student experience.

The 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) identified areas of world-class research in all academic disciplines and the University's research strengths are reflected in the quality of its teaching. More than 20 courses are cited in the Times Top 20 universities by subject area. In recent years Queen's has emerged as a major player on the international scene in areas ranging from cancer studies to climate change, from wireless technology to poetry and from pharmaceuticals to sonic arts.

The University is situated approximately one mile from Belfast city centre and has over 17,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students including 1,200 international students from over 70 countries. From Nobel prizewinners to medical pioneers and from political leaders to leading figures in the arts, Queen's graduates have made their mark around the world.