We are delighted to announce the following appointments to Senate, our governing body:

• Dr Feargal McCormack has been appointed as Pro-Chancellor and Deputy Chair of Senate. He will also Chair the Planning, Finance and Resources committee
• Baroness Sue Gray has been appointed as Pro-Chancellor
• Ms Anna Beggan has been appointed as Lay Member
• Mr Lyle Watters has been appointed as Lay Member

These non-remunerated appointments take effect for four years from 1 August 2025 following an extensive selection process involving students, staff, alumni, and independent assessors.

Read the full story here.

PDR at Queen’s provides a valuable framework for meaningful conversations, giving staff the opportunity to receive feedback, assess their progress against key priorities, and discuss personal development goals. As we reach the end of the current academic year staff are reminded of the importance of planning and preparing for the Annual PDR, which all staff must complete.

PDR Skills learning events for reviewers and reviewees are available for booking via Employee Self-service with information in the following link:

• PDR Support for staff

The Student Engagement Team would like to ask for staff volunteers to support with meeting and greeting our new international students to Belfast, at Belfast City Airport, in September. These are short shifts of about 3-4 hours or what you can spare. Further details are given below. All help is greatly appreciated. 

• To volunteer, please contact Victoria Gilroy at v.gilroy@qub.ac.uk before Thursday 28 August.

The closing date for applications for the Queen’s University Teaching Awards 2025 has been extended to 4.00pm on Thursday 14 August 2025. Queries can be directed to ced@qub.ac.uk.

• Full details are available on the Centre for Educational Development (CED) website.

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

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

The Staff Round Up Summer schedule continues. The next fortnightly edition will be published on Monday 18 August.

The Staff Round Up will then resume its weekly schedule from Monday 1 September.

To facilitate the year end process, please note the following arrangements for raising sales invoices to customers for activities carried out prior to 31 July 2025:

Qfis Sales order invoices

• Friday 1 August 2025 – Friday 8 August 2025: Sales order function will be available on QFIS but during this period there will be a delay in the email and posting of invoices. Invoices raised during this period will be emailed to initiators and posted to QFIS in the August 2025 period (202501) from 8.00am 11 August 2025.
• Any sales orders raised from 1 August 2025 relating to activities carried out in the period prior to 31 July 2025 should be clearly identified as relating to financial year 2024-25 using the GL reference field and the invoice text. By exception and where material, manual adjustments will be made by the Accounting Services section of Finance to the 2024-25 accounts.
• From Monday 11 August 2025: Sales order invoicing will operate as normal. All fully approved sales orders will be posted in financial year 2025-26.

Since 1845, Queen’s University has shaped lives, driven innovation and strengthened communities. In our 180th year, we want to celebrate the real-world impact of our research, education and partnerships – and the Northern Ireland Science Festival (NISF) provides us with an amazing opportunity to do so.

NISF have opened their call for submissions for events in the festival (11-22 February 2026), and colleagues are asked for their input and collaboration on a University-wide response to the festival in 2026, as part of the celebration of our 180th Anniversary.

Following the academic staff briefings on 3 July, we are seeking further feedback from academic colleagues on proposed Changes to Academic Progression Policy and Profiles.

Your perspective is crucial in shaping these important changes.

• Please share your feedback using the form at this link by Friday 8 August.

As part of the UK Government's National Security Act 2023, the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) came into effect on 1 July 2025. Registration is mandatory if you are involved in an arrangement which meets all of the following four conditions:

• An arrangement with a specified foreign power or entity; and
• A direction or instruction from that foreign power or entity; and
• The relevant activity is being carried out in the UK (this may be formal (for example, research) or informal (for example, a verbal agreement); and
• The activity is not an exempted activity under the Scheme.

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

• bullying;
• harassment;
• hate crime;
• and/or sexual misconduct.

There is also an option for staff or students to make a report on behalf of another student and anonymous reports can be made too. Advice and Guidance for staff on supporting disclosures is available from the Safe and Healthy Relationships website.

The following courses are available to support staff wellbeing within Queen’s. Please register via iTrent Self-Service – search for 'Wellbeing' to see available courses.

• Substance Misuse Awareness: 20 August (online)
• Communicating with Empathy and Understanding Through Change: 28 August (online)
• Stress Management Policy – The Line Manager's Role: 23 September (online)
• Talk Money Week - QUB Staff Pensions Q&A: 4 November (online)
• Working through Change and Building Resilience: 20 November and 17 December (online)

Step away from your desk and into nature! Join Active Campus every Wednesday this Summer for a refreshing stroll through the beautiful Botanic Gardens, taking time to relax, recharge and connect with colleagues in a calm and scenic setting.

• Every Wednesday at 1.15pm for a 20-minute walk
• Meet at the front of the Lanyon Building

Over the coming weeks/months, SharePoint Alerts will be phased out in Microsoft 365. Note: The phasing out begins in September 2025, and by July 2026, all SharePoint Alerts in Microsoft 365 will be fully retired and stop working.

• All SharePoint users are advised to review Microsoft's phasing out plan and timetable.
• If you use SharePoint Alerts in your business area, it is recommended to either use SharePoint Rules or Power Automate to do notifications.
• Visit the SharePoint Support site for step-by-step guides (Managing Alerts section) or log a call with the SharePoint Team for further help and support.

Due to an increase in spam sent from Google Groups, Digital and Information Services are making some changes to how emails sent from Google Groups are handled. The spam score for Google Groups emails will increase and if the email also has other indicators, it is more likely to be identified as spam, and may be delivered to the Junk Mail folder.

• If you receive legitimate emails from Google Groups, please see this page for more information

It’s the height of summer, which means there is no better time to consider a cycle commute to campus. To help:

• Find out about cycling savings available via Cyclescheme. Staff can also find out more here.
• Drop into one of the fortnightly coffee mornings for Queen's staff at Hope Café - a great forum for potential newbies just starting out on their active travel journey.
• Keep an eye/ear out for several fantastic cycling events coming up on campus.

As part of the ongoing Digital Transformation strategy, the University is launching a new research ethics management system – QUB Worktribe Ethics. This online platform provides a single end-to-end system for the creation, submission, review and approval of research ethics applications.

The system will be rolled out to the University Faculty and School Research Ethics Committees (RECs) in a phased manner. The onboarding will start with submissions to MHLS Faculty REC, followed by EPS Faculty REC and then all the AHSS School RECs, dates below:

• MHLS Faculty REC launch: 11 August 2025
• EPS Faculty REC launch: 22 September 2025
• All AHSS School RECs launch: 6 October 2025

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

• Cold public attitudes in the face of the climate crisis, by Professor Katy Hayward, Dr Jonny Hanson and Dr Paula Devine
• The new African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, by Dr Ronagh McQuigg
• The Serendipity of Science: COVID's Silver Lining, by Professor Mark Lawler
• Saving the National Cancer Plan: The triumph of evidence over opinion by Professor Mark Lawler

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:

• Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge, by Dr Rin Ushiyama
• Russian Imperial Movement: how a far-right group outlawed by the UK is spreading terror across Europe, by Dale Pankhurst
• Action is the antidote to ecological grief and climate anxiety – an ecotherapist explains, by Dr Louise Taylor
• Golden eagles were reintroduced to Ireland, but without prey they’re now struggling to thrive, by Dr Fiona McAuliffe (Scotland's Rural College) and Dr Neil Reid (QUB)

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

• Queen’s University makes four new appointments to its Senate governing body
• In Pictures: Queen's Pride Picnic 2025
• Queen's Business School wins second, major architecture award in as many months
• Queen's academic selected for prestigious fellowship
• Queen’s offers free postgraduate courses to help local workforce upskill and reskill
• Queen’s awarded £4.35 million in new funding to recruit world’s top researchers
• Queen’s Technician Awarded Prestigious Papin Medal
• Queen’s celebrates three years of rising student satisfaction in landmark national survey results
• Queen’s climbs global Impact Rankings and excels in the Sustainable Development Goals
• In Pictures: Summer Graduation 2025

First joining Queen's as a student and now, since 2018, a member of staff, Dr Leanne Henderson is currently a Lecturer in Education in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work. She is the Staff Forum Representative for PRISM – the University's LGBT+ Staff Network.

• Profile: PRISM Staff Forum Representative, Dr Leanne Henderson.

Information and Support for Staff

• Article: AI Fatigue? Why It Matters: Professor Philip Hanna argues that turning away from AI isn’t the solution, especially in education. The article explores why developing AI awareness and capability is essential for staff and institutions alike.
• Watch the AI Hub's AI Case Studies of Queen's staff.
• View and use AI Self-Help Guides on the AI Hub;
• Find recordings of the AI Hub's AI Building Blocks sessions;
• Listen to Jisc's Beyond the Technology Podcast, featuring Queen's.

All Queen's researchers are invited to express their interest in hosting an ‘Access the Expert’ session with relevant business leaders, helping to bridge the gap between academic excellence and real-world application.

As a leading voice in your field, you have invaluable insights that can drive innovation and solve pressing challenges facing business today. Your expertise matters – share it with those who can put it to work.

• Find out more here and send your expression of interest to Dr Portia Ellis-Woods, Business Engagement Officer, at portia.ellis-woods@qub.ac.uk.

Staff are invited to view the summer edition of the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work newsletter here.

If you would like to be added to the School's newsletter email distribution list, please email sseswmedia@qub.ac.uk.

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. Staff tickets are priced at £8.50. Staff and students aged 26 and under can join LUMI to get tickets for £6.00 every day, all year round.

• A Mighty Wind (35mm)
• Amadeus

The Naughton Gallery's latest sports exhibition, 'CRYIN' AT THE GYM', continues until 7 September. All are welcome.

The Gallery is open daily from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Admission is free.

Limited places are available for the next session in the Naughton Gallery's popular Silversmithing series, taking place on Saturday 23 August from 10.00am to 4.00pm. No previous experience is required – just bring an apron and enthusiasm!

The workshop costs £50 per person. Please contact art@qub.ac.uk to reserve your space and for further information.

The August 2025 edition of the Seamus Heaney Newsletter is now available to view.

• Summer Swim Camp for Kids: one-week camp starting 18 August.
• Reminder: New Membership Price Plan – August 2025.
• Last chance! Sign up for Summer Memberships at Queen’s Sport. Your Summer, Your Way — flexible memberships, all-inclusive access, no Direct Debit, no hassle.

As part of Queen’s continued commitment to empowering managers to lead effectively through change, we have created a bespoke Leading Change Toolkit offering managers practical resources, structured action plans, and adaptable templates to help you navigate challenges, engage teams, and ensure a smooth and successful transition. 

• Access the resources and templates here.

Queen's Postdoc Showcase 2025 – 'Voices of the Future: Postdocs Shaping Tomorrow' – will take place on Friday 26 September from 9.30am to 6.00pm in the Canada Room/Council Chamber and Great Hall, Lanyon Building.

There is still time to register and submit an abstract for a poster/display.

• Find out more here.

The following events and survey are now open to Queen's postdocs:

• Career Exploration Interview: From Lab to Life – crafting an unplanned academic career, Thursday 21 August, 12.00pm to 1.00pm, online
• Survey: Postdoc Research Careers - how can the Postdoctoral Development Centre (PDC) best support your professional goals?

Applications are invited for the SEDA Leading Education for Sustainable Development in the Curriculum programme. The programme is open to Module Co-ordinators or Programme Directors, or members of staff who have significant influence over the curriculum development and design of credit-bearing courses.

The programme will run from September to December 2025. Places are limited to 15.

• Find out more and apply via iTrent.

The Business Alliance Team has launched the 2026 Collaborative Studentship call. The University has committed to a number of studentships*, commencing in October 2026, for projects across the institution that will involve significant work with a non-academic partner. Partnerships with private sector industry, government departments, agencies and voluntary sector organisations that meet the above criteria will all be considered.

• Full information on the call can be found on the Business Engagement and Partnering SharePoint site.
• Applications should only be made via this form.