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2012

Riddell Hall opened by former President

25 October 12
Former President of Ireland Professor Mary McAleese has officially opened Queen’s University’s Riddel Hall campus, which has been transformed into a 21st century portal for the economic development of businesses across the island of Ireland.
 
Riddel Hall, which was endowed to the University by Eliza and Isabella Riddel almost 100 years ago, is also the venue for the launch of an ambitious £140m fundraising campaign by Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Peter Gregson. The campaign is dedicated to helping Queen’s provide the ultimate student experience and address some of the greatest challenges facing society today.
 
Professor Gregson announced that the campaign has got off to the best possible start with the University having secured £17½ million from individual donors, businesses, Foundations and Trusts.
 
Professor Sir Peter Gregson said: “It was the generosity of the Riddel sisters that enabled Riddel to be built 100 years ago. And it’s that same spirit of philanthropy that has enabled Queen’s to redevelop Riddel into a new Northern Ireland portal for business.
 
“The new fundraising campaign is an ambitious goal to raise £140m to provide the ultimate student experience and to invest in those areas in which we globally excel. It is a campaign that will allow Queen’s to continue to make its disproportionate contribution to the success of Northern Ireland. From cybersecurity to the humanities, and from food science to medicine, Queen’s impact and influence on society is exceptional.
 
“Earlier this year the quality of research at our Institute of Health Sciences was recognised with the award of a Diamond Jubilee Queen’s Anniversary Prize.  A prize that was secured thanks to the work at Queen’s which has seen cancer survival rates in Northern Ireland move from the bottom of the UK league table to the top. Patients in Northern Ireland are now accessing some of the best cancer care that is available anywhere in the world.
 
“And not forgetting our students, Queen’s exists to provide a life-changing experience for them and they will be the big winners from this campaign. It will allow us to provide additional internships affording students real-life work experiences; grow our sporting academies that allow them to develop their leadership skills; and to increase the number of scholarships providing access to opportunities that some students may never get.
 
“But most importantly the life-changing experience at Queen’s must enable the students of today to become the global citizens of tomorrow and this campaign will help them on that journey.”

Media inquiries to Kevin Mulhern, Head of Communications and External Affairs, telephone 028 9097 3259 / m 07813 015431 or email k.mulhern@qub.ac.uk
 

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