Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerry McCormac with Managing Director Eugene Lynch and Board member Orla Corr at the McAvoy Group	Basil McCrea, MLA, and Imelda Jordan, Principal of St Colm's High School, with Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerry McCormac

QUEEN'S Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson and Pro-ViceChancellor Professor Gerry McCormac have visited Lisburn to meet local business, education and civic leaders.

The visit - part of a series of University roadshows - aimed to build on Queen's existing links with the area and to enhance dialogue with its key stakeholders.

The itinerary included a meeting with senior managers in the McAvoy Group in Knockmore Hill Industrial Estate, with which the University already has a significant partnership. The Northern Ireland Technology Centre at Queen's was actively involved in the design of the Group's new factory facilities in Lisburn and has also recently completed a number of product design projects for the nearby Hilden Brewery.

This was followed by a round-table discussion with head teachers from local schools. More than 700 students from the Lisburn area are currently enrolled at Queen's, including more than 350 entrants last September. Mr Gregson said: "Queen's University is home to many students from Lisburn and the surrounding district, and we also have close links with many local businesses and elected representatives. We want to continue to build on these connections and to learn about how we can best continue to work together."

The Vice-Chancellor also referred to the University's contribution in driving forward local economic prosperity.

He continued: "Northern Ireland is looking towards a positive and successful future as a dynamic region powered by the innovation and creativity of its people. In Lisburn, as in other parts of the region, our graduates contribute in areas ranging from healthcare to law, from education to engineering and from culture to business and commerce. We already have many effective working relationships with schools and businesses in the Lisburn area and I hope that this visit will provide an opportunity to build these relationships further and learn about the needs and expectations of the community we serve."

jenny.monroe@jpress.co.uk

 

Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson (centre) with Alderman Edwin Poets, Minister for Arts, Culture and Leisure, and Stephen Barr of Almac Group Ltd at the University's Roadshow in Lisburn
Pictured at Queen's Lisburn Roadshow are (from left) Stephen Barr, Almac Group Ltd; John Barrett, Coca Cola Bottlers (Ulster Ltd; Dr Mary Flynn, Knowledge Transfer Centre, Queen's; and Tom Edgar, Northern Ireland Technology Centre. Queen's	Local MLAs Trevor Lunn (Alliance) and Paul Butler (Sinn Fein) with Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson at the University's Roadshow in Lisburn

(From left) Attending Queen's University's Roadshow in Lisburn were (from left) Tom Edgar, Northern Ireland Technology Centre at Queern's; Mrs Margaret Clark, Principal, Hunterhouse College; Mrs Anne McBride, Principal, Wallace High School, and Ulster Star editor David Fletcher	Attending Queen's University's Roadshow were (from left) Tom Edgar, Northern Ireland Technology Centre, Queen's; Seamus Scullion, Hilden Brewery; Dr Mary Flynn, Knowledge Transfer Centre, Queen's; Brian McCann, Clarehill Plastics Ltd; and Neil Stewart, Seagoe Technologies Ltd

Ulster Star
25/04/2008