- Partnership formalises 25+ years of collaboration into strategic University Technology Partnership
- Three focus areas: modelling and simulation, cyber security and advanced manufacturing
- Northern Ireland aerospace sector worth £2.2 billion annually with 8,000+ jobs
- Airbus expanding Belfast wing facility to support A220 production increases
- Queen’s joins select group of universities recognised as Rolls-Royce strategic partners
Rolls-Royce and Queen’s University Belfast have formalised more than 25 years of collaboration into a new University Technology Partnership, strengthening Northern Ireland’s growing role in aerospace research and development. Announced on 28 August 2026, the partnership concentrates on three areas central to the future of aero-engine design and manufacture: modelling and simulation to accelerate engine design timelines, cyber security building on two decades of work at Queen’s Centre for Secure Information Technologies, and advanced manufacturing drawing on the newly established Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre forms part of the Belfast Region City Deal, representing a significant investment in regional industrial capability.
Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s, confirmed that the partnership brings commercial, economic and societal benefits to Northern Ireland. Professor Trevor Robinson, who directs the University Technology Partnership at Queen’s, stated that the university would continue to focus on creating faster design capabilities, advancing modelling and simulation, and developing cyber security expertise. For Rolls-Royce, Professor Mark Jefferies, Head of Research Partnerships, described the agreement as the company’s new anchor in the region, signalling a long-term commitment to Northern Irish aerospace capabilities.
The announcement follows a run of investment news for Northern Ireland’s aerospace sector, including Airbus’s ongoing expansion of its Belfast wing facility to support increased A220 production. The region’s aerospace industry, valued at an estimated £2.2 billion annually and supporting more than 8,000 jobs across approximately 100 companies, continues to attract fresh investment from major manufacturers. For Queen’s, the formal University Technology Partnership status places it alongside a small number of universities worldwide recognised by Rolls-Royce as strategic technology partners, reinforcing Belfast’s position as a centre for aerospace engineering research on the island of Ireland.
