Queen’s University Belfast is a driver of innovation and talent based on excellence. Throughout the University, our academics collaborate across disciplines and with outside agencies and institutions on projects of world significance. We are connected and networked with strategic partnerships across the world, helping us to expand our impact on wider society locally, nationally and globally. The University is committed to attracting, retaining and developing the best global talent within an environment that enables them to realise their full potential.
Queen’s Law School is one of the top law schools in the UK and Ireland and ranks 17th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2021) and prides itself on a range of world-class class undergraduate and postgraduate education. Law is ranked inside in the top 125 in both QS and THES World University Rankings and is situated in a £20m new School building, providing excellent facilities for staff and students alike. Law has been taught at Queen’s since 1845, and the School is widely-acknowledged as one of the leading centres of legal scholarship and research in the UK. It has particular research strengths in public law; constitutional law; corporate governance; commercial law; environmental law; human rights; criminology and criminal justice, as well as common law.
Our research activities have impacted nationally and internationally through a diverse range of projects ranging from slavery and trafficking to the Hillsborough disaster, offender reintegration and desistance, and the role of judges in post-conflict settings. Staff have also made valuable contributions to vital public policy discussions in Northern Ireland in areas such as socio-economic rights, reform of criminal justice and policing, and amnesties and truth and prosecution models. Due to the devolved nature of government in Northern Ireland we offer unique opportunities for study and research.
Based in Belfast, a modern capital city, our beautiful campus is surrounded by abundant acres of parkland and is renowned as one of the safest and affordable cities in the UK and was named best place to visit globally, by Lonely Planet, in 2018.
The Opportunity:
The University is seeking to appoint a Head of School of Law, the role of Head of School plays a critical role in ensuring that Queen’s University Belfast achieves the vision set out in the Strategic Plan of the University. The Head of School is instrumental in the leadership and management of the school.
You will be responsible for providing academic and strategic leadership and support in shaping and leading the future direction of the School in contributing to the University Strategy. You will contribute as a member of Faculty Executive Board, ensuring that there is effective cross-School and Faculty collaboration in undergraduate, postgraduate and executive programmes; student experience, research and innovation; corporate engagement and internationalisation.
The University is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all. However, our employment monitoring data tells us that individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, people with a disability and those who identify as LGBT+ are currently under-represented at the University. Also, protestants are currently under-represented in this category of work. As such, we particularly welcome applications from these individuals.
For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, including our work in relation to Gender Equality (Athena SWAN), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Workplace Equality Index), Disability and Race (Race Equality Charter) please visit: www.qub.ac.uk/diversity and/or www.qub.ac.uk/qgi.
For further information and details on the University’s Staff Networks please click here.
Candidate Information
About the School
About the Head of School
Further information for international applicants