- Aston University is collaborating with Queen’s University Belfast to offer dual award PhD degrees
- The announcement of the new PhD programme was marked with an official signing
- This follows on from the joint signing of a memorandum of understanding in November 2023.
Aston University is collaborating with Queen’s University Belfast to offer dual award PhD degrees.
The new development will allow candidates to be jointly supervised by academic staff at each institution and upon successful completion will be able to graduate with a doctorate from each university.
The announcement of the new PhD programme was marked with an official signing on Monday 11 November by Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, Professor Aleks Subic and President and Vice Chancellor of Queens University Belfast Professor Sir Ian Greer.
This follows on from the joint signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Aston University and Queen’s University Belfast in November 2023. The document set out their intention to collaborate on ideas, projects, funding and investment proposals and cross-regional collaboration based on their complementary strengths.
It also set out the two institutions’ intention to develop joint work which will support their roles supporting their respective innovation districts. Aston University already generates more than £1.4 billion to the national economy and this partnership will support its 2030 strategic aim to increase this contribution to over £2 billion annually, particularly in relation to the ongoing development of the Birmingham Innovation Quarter (B-IQ). Queen’s generates over £3 billion with an 8:1 investment to return ratio for the UK economy, and regularly ranks as one the leading universities in the UK for entrepreneurial impact.
The fields of interest for the MoU include net zero and clean forms of energy such as biofuels, life and health sciences in terms of disease prevention, including through the use of AI and digital tech.
Speaking at the signing event, Professor Aleks Subic said: “It is almost exactly a year since Aston University and Queen’s University Belfast established a strategic partnership and this new development will help advance our collaboration to the next level.
“The new industry-embedded PhD dual award between our two universities is a contemporary learning experience which will provide exciting new opportunities for students at both institutions in Birmingham and Belfast.
“It will support both institutions’ roles as catalysts in our respective innovation districts and will contribute to the socio-economic transformation of both our cities and communities.”
Professor Sir Ian Greer, added: “This memorandum demonstrates our ongoing shared commitment to innovation and academic excellence and builds on the collaborative approach we have fostered over the past year.
“By pooling our strengths, Queen’s and Aston University aim to deliver transformative research, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and equip the next generation of scholars to address global challenges. Together, we will amplify our socio-economic impact and advance our roles as anchors in regional innovation ecosystems, creating meaningful benefits for our communities and beyond.”
The dual award will benefit PhD candidates by offering access to resources and expertise within both universities, which is especially valuable for interdisciplinary study. Students will gain a wider perspective on their research area and make valuable connections in the academic community.
- Notes to editors
About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.About Queen’s University Belfast
A member of the Russell Group UK's 24 leading research-intensive universities, Queen’s University Belfast is an international centre of research and education, with a student-centred ethos. Queen’s is ranked 6th in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025), 2nd in the UK for entrepreneurial impact (Octopus Ventures, 2022) and 117th in the world for research quality (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025).
Our research shapes worlds and continues to make a difference to lives and livelihoods, with 88% assessed as world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021).
The university is a lead partner in the Belfast Region City Deal which will unlock £1 billion of transformative co-investment, bringing forward projects in advanced manufacturing, clinical research and secure, connected digital technologies.
Queen’s sits at the heart of the diverse and vibrant city of Belfast which has the lowest cost of living in the UK (Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking 2023).For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk