Alumni engagement and philanthropy



QUEEN’S ANNOUNCES HONORARY PROFESSORSHIPS  

15 April 2019

Queen’s has awarded former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern an Honorary Professorship in Peace Studies at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.

Mr Ahern served as Taoiseach from 1997 – 2008 and played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the signing of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement. He also helped to negotiate the return of devolution to Northern Ireland in 2007.

In his role as Honorary Professor, Mr Ahern will take part in workshops and masterclasses with students and will participate in events at the University.

Mr Ahern will deliver his first lecture – the Harri Holkeri Lecture – on 21 May, when he will reflect on ‘Peace Process – In light of Brexit Issues’.

This annual lecture recognises the achievements of former Prime Minister of Finland, the late Harri Holkeri, who used his skills as negotiator and consensus-builder to facilitate arms decommissioning and multi-party peace talks in Northern Ireland.

In response to the appointment, Professor Hastings Donnan, Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, said: “Queen’s is delighted to welcome Bertie Ahern as an Honorary Professor at the University”.

“Bertie Ahern has been an advocate and supporter of the Mitchell Institute and the University for several years and his political experience will be an asset to both teaching and research at Queen’s. We look forward very much to his contribution over the next three years.”

Bertie Ahern commented: “I am privileged to accept this Honorary Professorship in Peace Studies at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. I have enjoyed working with Queen’s University since I received my honorary doctorate in 2008.”

Anne Connolly OBE, Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, and Dr Michael Maguire, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, have also been awarded an Honorary Professorship at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.

Professor D MacFarlane from Monash University, Australia, has been awarded an Honorary Professorship in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Professor MacFarlane is a world-leading expert in using ionic liquids for electrochemistry, green chemistry, solar cells, batteries and biotechnology.

A full list of new honorary titles is below:

  • Professor S Fang, Queen’s Management School
  • Mr B Ahern, Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice
  • Ms A Connolly, Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice
  • Dr M Maguire, Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice
  • Professor D MacFarlane, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
  • Professor A Hibbert, School of Mathematics and Physics
  • Professor L Siu, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
  • Professor R Wilson, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Mr Ahern was among a number of distinguished panellists who took part in the Global Conflict | The Human Impact conference organised jointly by the University of Chicago and Queen’s in 2018. The Conference brought together international leaders to discuss experiences of violent conflict and strategies for peace building as part of the 20th anniversary year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice is one of the University’s Global Research Institutes (GRI), and is a flagship for interdisciplinary research in areas of major societal challenge.

The Institute brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to tackle some of the greatest global issues of our age and offers a range of courses, from an interdisciplinary Master’s programme to short courses, including International summer and winter schools.

Details regarding registration for the lecture will be confirmed in due course.

For media enquiries please contact the Communications Office at Queen’s University Belfast on tel: +44 (0)28 9097 3091.

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