Queen's University Belfast

What Queen's University Belfast does

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is a public research-intensive university founded in 1845 and headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a member of the Russell Group, ranked 174 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and classified by REF 2021 as having 99% of its research environment at world-leading or internationally excellent standard. QUB serves undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research students across three faculties (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Engineering and Physical Sciences; Medicine, Health and Life Sciences), with over 3,800 international students from 112 countries and a domestic UK/EU cohort processed primarily through UCAS and the Queen's Portal.

The university operates a portfolio of specialist research and innovation centres that monetise its academic base. These include the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), the AI Collaboration Centre (AICC, co-led with Ulster University), Momentum One Zero, and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC). These centres collaborate with industry partners such as BAE Systems, Cisco, Citi, IBM, Intel, Rolls-Royce, Rapid7, and Wrightbus, and are backed by UKRI, Innovate UK, and PEACEPLUS funding. QUB holds patent portfolios (e.g., carbene-functionalized composite materials, a 3R1T parallel robot for minimally invasive surgery) and has executed licensing deals including the Niagen Bioscience NR patent acquisition.

QUB's revenue model combines tuition fees (international and domestic), research grants and contracts, technology licensing, and returns on endowment and general funds managed externally (Legal & General). Distribution extends beyond the Belfast campus through a GIFT City (India) campus from 2026-27, a dual Master's with Northeastern University, the Dundalk Institute of Technology partnership to establish a University College of Queen's, and a cross-border AI partnership with University College Dublin. The institution reports a £3.35bn UK economic impact (2022-23), has invested £700m in campus development, and employs 1,001–5,000 staff.

Name

Queen's University Belfast

Legal name

Queen's University Belfast

Website

https://qub.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1845

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Queen's University Belfast is a Russell Group public research university founded in 1845, serving undergraduate and postgraduate students (including over 3,800 international students from 112 countries) and operating specialist AI, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing research centres in partnership with industry and government funders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Flagship Public Research Universities (R1/R2) (EDAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programmes
• Research and innovation
• Postgraduate education
• Technology licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: Queen's receives significant funding from UK research councils including Innovate UK, UKRI, and government programs. Recent examples include £1m from Innovate UK for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre and £50 million government funding for Mental Health Goals Programme.
2. Tuition Fees: International students pay tuition fees ranging from approximately £10,000+ annually for various programs. UK/EU students have different fee structures based on domicile and study level.
3. Technology Licensing and Patents: The university licenses patents and intellectual property to companies. Examples include Niagen Bioscience acquiring the core NR patent portfolio from Queen's University Belfast and ongoing patent portfolio management.
4. Endowment and Investment Management: Queen's University Belfast appointed Legal & General to manage both the university's endowment and general funds through a passive investment approach that prioritises ESG principles and excludes fossil fuel companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Queen's University Belfast is a Russell Group public research university that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research degree programmes across three faculties. Beyond teaching, it operates research and innovation centres (CSIT, AICC, Momentum One Zero, AMIC) that deliver contract research, technology licensing, executive education, and industry-funded projects to corporate and government partners globally.

Product overview

Queen's University Belfast is a research-intensive university offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and research levels across its three faculties. The university complements its educational offerings with specialized research centers and innovation hubs including the AI Collaboration Centre (AICC) for responsible AI development, the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) for cybersecurity research, and Momentum One Zero for translating research into commercial solutions. The institution also operates doctoral training programmes in biotechnology and AI, positioning it as both an educational provider and research innovation partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Queen's Business School: The business school arm of Queen's University Belfast offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education programmes in business, management, and related fields.
• Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT)
• Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC)
• Momentum One Zero

Products and services

• Queen's University Belfast Academic Degree Programmes
• Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC)
• Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT)

Quantifiable outcome

• £3.35 billion total economic impact on UK economy (2022-23)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trinity College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026The HSE has commissioned an independent evaluation of Dublin's supervised injecting facility from Queen's University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin. The evaluation includes an interim six-month review documenting early evidence of the programme's impact and effectiveness.
• RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Researchers at RCSI collaborated with the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast on preclinical results demonstrating the first mRNA vaccine targeting neuroblastoma, the deadliest childhood cancer. The vaccine uses peptide nanoparticles developed in partnership with Queen's.
• Wrightbus (30-year W-Tech Research Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Wrightbus has a 30-year W-Tech Research Centre partnership with Queen's University Belfast, focusing on research and development collaboration in zero-emission transport technology including battery-electric and hydrogen buses.
• WrightbuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2026Queen's University Belfast partnered with Wrightbus as lead participant in the ASPIRE project, one of eight feasibility studies under the UK Government's CAM Pathfinder Programme. The three-year study addresses driver shortages, rising operational costs, and zero-emission mandates in public transport, with collaboration involving Loughborough University and Queen's to develop a commercial business case for self-driving passenger services.
• Artelo BiosciencesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026Artelo Biosciences is conducting a fully funded investigator-sponsored clinical study of ART27.13 for glaucoma treatment in partnership with Glaucoma UK, HSC R&D Division, and Queen's University Belfast. The study positions the company in the $16.3 billion glaucoma market.
• Northeastern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026Queen's and Northeastern University are launching a pioneering dual Master's degree programme combining AI and global business strategy. The 18-month programme enables students to earn two standalone MSc qualifications (MSc Global Business from Queen's and MSc AI and Business Innovation from Northeastern). The agreement was formally signed in Boston with future programme delivery planned at Queen's GIFT City campus in 2027.
• Invest Northern IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Invest Northern Ireland is positioning Northern Ireland as a global fintech and RegTech hub through strategic collaboration between industry, academia, and government. The AI Collaboration Centre (AICC), led by Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast, drives AI adoption across the fintech ecosystem.
• University College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Queen's University Belfast and University College Dublin signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a cross-border AI partnership, pairing Momentum One Zero at Queen's with CeADAR, Ireland's National Centre for Applied AI at UCD. The agreement outlines collaboration in applied AI research, joint funding bids, digital infrastructure, industry adoption, and SME skills development, overseen by a Joint Project Board.
• Momentum One Zero / PEACEPLUScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026The ONEHEALTH project is a cross-border research initiative supported by PEACEPLUS and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, uniting academic institutions from Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Momentum One Zero at Queen's serves as the programme's central innovation hub providing engineering capability, secure infrastructure, and commercial pathways.
• Dundalk Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Queen's University Belfast and Dundalk Institute of Technology announced a strategic partnership to establish DkIT as a University College of Queen's. The formal agreement expected to be signed in December 2025 with full operation planned for 2026, offering students Queen's degrees.
• Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025IITGN and Queen's University Belfast signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on academic and research activities. The partnership aims to foster faculty and student exchanges, joint initiatives, and strengthen global academic connections.
• Rapid7coreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2025Rapid7 and Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) are collaborating through the Cyber-AI Hub to address cybersecurity challenges using AI and machine learning. The partnership involves research, product development, and talent training focused on improving threat detection, particularly alert triage for Security Operations Centres.
• Innovate UK / High Value Manufacturing CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 June 2023A £1m investment from Innovate UK enabled Northern Ireland's Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) to support local businesses with new digital manufacturing capabilities. The funding develops testbeds and strengthens collaboration with the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult to boost manufacturing innovation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Edinburgh: Russell Group public research university in Scotland with comparable QS top-200 ranking, similar international student recruitment model, and parallel research commercialisation centres. Most direct peer due to shared UK research-intensive, multi-faculty profile and similar grant capture model.
• University of Glasgow: Scottish Russell Group research university of similar size and global ranking band, competing for the same international student pool and research council funding, with comparable industry partnership models in life sciences and engineering.
• Trinity College Dublin: Ireland's leading research university and a formal QUB collaboration partner on HSE evaluation. Comparable in research intensity, Russell-equivalent positioning, size, and cross-border grant capture under PEACEPLUS and Horizon-equivalent programmes.
• University of Manchester: Larger Russell Group research university with overlapping research strengths in advanced manufacturing, materials, and AI. Direct competitor for international students, industry partnerships, and research council funding.
• University of Bristol: Russell Group research university of similar scale and QS ranking band, with comparable research commercialisation output and industry partnerships. Competes for STEM international students and UKRI funding.
• Ulster University: Northern Ireland's other major research university and QUB's formal co-lead on the AI Collaboration Centre. Direct peer by geography, scale, and overlapping STEM/applied-research remit, though lower in global rankings.
• Newcastle University: Russell Group research university of comparable size and internationalisation profile. Competes in similar QS bands, has parallel medical/sciences research strengths, and shares UK regional-city recruitment dynamics with Belfast.
• University of Leeds: Russell Group research university with similar student and grant scale. Competes for international students, has overlapping engineering and life-sciences research centres, and operates a comparable innovation/technology-transfer model.
• Durham University: Russell Group university of broadly similar scale and internationalisation strategy, sharing UK northern research-university positioning and competing for international students in the same affordability-sensitive segments.
• University of Warwick: Russell Group research university with comparable QS ranking band and parallel strengths in business school, applied research, and industry partnerships. Competes for the same UKRI grants and international postgraduate students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/qubelfast
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Come2Queens
• Facebookfacebook.com/QueensUniversityBelfast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/queen's-university-belfast
• Instagraminstagram.com/qubelfast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Queen's University Belfast