Name: Anya O'Connor
University: Queen's University Belfast
Position: Senior International Officer
In the fall of 2022, SI-UK caught up with Anya O'Connor, the Senior International Officer at Queen's University Belfast, to learn more about the Northern Irish university, what sets it apart and what Anya herself likes to do in the city of Belfast.
Starting with an easy question. What is your role at Queen's University Belfast?
I lead the Queen’s University Belfast North America team. We are responsible for engaging with prospective students across the USA and Canada and supporting partnerships with universities in the North American region.
We are currently in Fall/Autumn, what is the weather like right now in Belfast?
It is changing every day - today is very cold but sunny! There are often four seasons in one day in Belfast and it is always wise to keep an umbrella on your person.
Since you are in Ireland, are students who study at Queen's University Belfast getting the same qualifications as they would at an English, Welsh or Scottish university?
Yes, we are in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK. Northern Ireland is on the island of Ireland but is politically and economically in the UK which means that we are part of the British Higher Education sector. We are part of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities across England, Scotland, Wales and NI. Our qualifications are the same.
Is there any one aspect of Belfast, as a city, that you think sets it apart from other areas of the UK?
The personality! Belfast is a city that doesn't take itself too seriously. People here like to have 'the craic' (this means fun/banter) and be authentic. Belfast is a very welcoming and down-to-earth place as a result. Newcomers find community and friends here quickly.
A little bit about you, what is your favourite activity to do either in or around Belfast?
I love hiking - the city is surrounded by hills and I love to walk in them, especially in Spring and Summer for sunrise hikes. I love being outdoors and we also have a lot of beaches and forests to explore within easy reach. Belfast is a very green city and is situated right on Belfast Lough - so you can see water, hills and forest in our cityscape.
Medicine is very highly ranked at Queen's University Belfast. Would a student be able to return to Canada or the United States to practice Medicine upon completion of this degree?
Yes, they would, and most years we usually have 5+ students from North America in our medical programs.
How many US and Canadian students are there currently at QUB?
We have around 300 North American students enrolled with us in a given year. We have a Canadian and American Student Association that organizes student events and the University also arranges activities for Canadian and US Thanksgiving each year. We had a poutine truck on campus for Canadian Thanksgiving this year and it was delicious!
Following on from that, what would you say are the most popular subjects for Canadian students and American students at Queen's University Belfast?
For Canadians, definitely Law! Though we also see students enrolling on Medicine, Dentistry and a range of other grad courses. For the USA, Conflict Transformation is our most popular area.
Why do Canadian students have such an interest in your Law programs?
We have a brilliant Law School - it is one of the oldest in the UK and ranks highly. The Professors in the School are very dedicated to the student experience and ensuring that career development is embedded strongly in both the curriculum and the extra-curricular activities in the School. There are lots of additional events arranged throughout the year to enable students to meet with employers - Belfast is home to a number of large multinational law firms such as Arthur Cox, Allen & Overy and A&L Goodbody.
Our Law School also opened a beautiful new building a few years ago so the students have state-of-the-art facilities to enjoy such as our Moot Court and One Button Studio. It also happens to house the best coffee shop on campus which is a bonus!
Many international students love to take the opportunity to travel during their time studying at UK universities, is it easy/affordable to travel from Belfast?
Yes - we have two airports in Belfast so there are flights to the rest of the UK and Europe at affordable rates. It is also cool to hop on the train to Dublin for the weekend - it is just 2 hours away and you can explore the rest of the island of Ireland from there too!
Why should students apply to study at Queen's University Belfast?
Queen's offers something pretty special and unique which is a British, Russell Group university education on the beautiful island of Ireland. Students get to enjoy the famous warmth of welcome that the island of Ireland is known for and the incredible hospitality - we really pride ourselves on being a very student-welfare-centred campus.
For example, we have just opened a brand new Student's Union and Student's Services centre...it is amazing! I think the student experience is second to none and Belfast is definitely a cool, up-and-coming city with a lot of brilliant music, art, culture and festivals to explore.
A few fun things that people often don't know are: we are a UNESCO World City of Music, we are home to Game of Thrones studio and much of the series was filmed here, we are a really young city with over 40% of our population under 40!
We know many students loved to speak to representatives from QUB at the October 2022 Study in UK University Fair in Toronto. Can students expect to see you or other representatives attending events in 2023?
Yes! We will be back in March 2023 to attend the SI-UK university fair in Toronto and meet with more students. We're looking forward to it. See you there!
Thank you to Anya for taking the time to speak to us. If students have any more questions about Queen's University Belfast, studying in Britain/Ireland, or for application assistance please contact your SI-UK Consultant who will answer your UK university questions. If you would like to meet Anya register to join our March 4th, 2023 Toronto UK University Fair - click here to register.
