Queen’s University Inspires the Next Generation of Women Leaders with Empowering Leadership Event

Queen’s University Belfast has welcomed 275 pupils from schools across Northern Ireland through their doors for a one-day leadership event, as part of this year’s SistersIN programme. 

The event aims to inspire sixth form girls by engaging with academic leaders at Queen’s and encouraging pupils to look for, and find, their talents and passions, and consider how they might use these in their future careers.  

As a foundation partner of SistersIN, Queen’s hosted the one-day event and explored topics such as artificial intelligence and how it might be a friend or foe, how we can build better bridges that last – both metaphorically and physically, how we can more effectively learn and train to work together and build strong teams, as well as a colourful and interactive session about the merits of box office hit Barbie the Movie as an empowerment tool for girls. 

The pupils then visited different parts of the campus to find out more about opportunities at Queen’s and the various career paths open to them. This included visits to: 

• The School of Biological Sciences to hear about studying proteins to find new treatments for cancer; 
• Queen’s Film Theatre where staff from the Seamus Heaney Centre spoke to the pupils about storytelling and creative writing, and the potential career paths these may lead to; 
• The Brian Friel Theatre to hear more about careers in the performing arts; 
• Intersim Centre for an immersive experience in the University’s state-of-the-art healthcare simulation centre.
  

The day finished with the formal endorsement of the SistersIN Leadership Programme by the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen’s.  

Welcoming the pupils through Queen’s doors, Professor Karen Morrison, Dean of Education in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, and SistersIN Board member said: 

“We are delighted to be hosting this one-day event on campus and to be meeting this fantastic cohort of young women from across Northern Ireland who have come along to be inspired, and inspire us, as they consider how they could best use their skills, talents and passions in their future careers.  

“As a SistersIN foundation partner, QUB firmly believes in the importance of a leadership programme like this, and in events such as today, which can inspire and encourage girls and young women into successful and fulfilling leadership roles in their futures.” 

Speaking after the event, Peter Dobbin, Principal of Assumption Grammar School and Chair of SistersIN, said: 

“Today has been an outstanding and inspirational event for some 300 SistersIN participants from 25 schools. The sessions from the academic staff at Queen’s were expertly delivered and so enjoyable for the girls on their leadership journey. Thank you again to Queen’s for hosting todays SistersINspire event, it was truly inspirational”.