Queen’s University Belfast Partners with Department for Economy in First Higher Education Outcomes Agreement
This Outcomes Agreement is to ensure accountability and transparency while building clear evidence around the wide-ranging impact of education to create long-term change.
The outcomes agreement highlights a number of clear actions and targets that chime with both the University’s strategy as well as the strategic priorities of the Minister and the Department with the shared objective to use higher education to make a positive impact on the region.
The defined list of actions and targets will provide a clear evidence base to showcase the value of any public funding as well as helping to identify and address key public policy challenges.
The key priority areas outlined that Queen’s will report against include measures to: address skills imbalances; create a culture of lifelong learning; enhance digital skills; widen access and participation; develop research and innovation; improve tertiary education; develop healthcare and advance manufacturing.
Queen’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer said:
“Queen’s University is committed to continuing to play a key role in the economic and societal development of Northern Ireland, as we have done for the last 180 years. We consider our success and the success of the region to be deeply intertwined, which is why we are delighted to welcome the Department for the Economy’s Outcomes Agreement.
“We believe that our priorities and those of the Minister – good jobs, regional balance, productivity and net zero – are aligned. Through our institutional strategy we are committed to driving prosperity through the region.
“Signing up to this agreement provides the opportunity to further demonstrate the work that we, as a university, are doing to impact on people’s lives right across Northern Ireland from opening up new possibilities to young people, to improving healthcare through ground-breaking research, to creating jobs and prosperity not least through the £3bn Queen’s contributes to the economy each year.”
Welcoming the agreement, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said:
“The agreement highlights how Queen’s is contributing to our shared objectives. I’m delighted that it includes proposed actions around strengthening partnership with further education colleges and schools, steps to widen access to higher education, support for lifelong learning, and contributions to City and Growth Deals. Also included is work to develop skills, research, business engagement and innovation that will be important in meeting key challenges around rapid technological change and delivering on our net zero commitments.”