Royal University of Belfast

At the time of its opening in 1849, the university was known as Royal Belfast College. Designed by architect Sir Charles Lanyon, who worked on many of Belfast's public buildings in the mid-19th century, the structure's design has remained largely unchanged since then, and is heavily influenced by English architecture, which is not surprising given Sir Charles' background.

Queens is one of the largest employers in Northern Ireland, employing 3,903 people, of whom 2.414 are academics and 1,489 are administrative workers. In 2006, the university received a £259 million investment in infrastructure development, recruitment and research. One result of this investment was the new University Library, which opened in July 2009.

Queens includes the Institute of Theology, which consists of several colleges. Located near the main campus, the Institute of Professional Legal Studies is considered one of the best in terms of training, not only in Northern Ireland, but throughout the UK.