We know that when we talk about the United Kingdom, most people immediately think of England or Scotland, and sometimes only London comes to mind. What if we told you that there is a destination that combines landscapes as incredible as those in Scotland, the cosmopolitan English atmosphere and a much more affordable price in the land of the Queen? This is not “fake news”, this place exists and it is called Northern Ireland.
Forgotten among the countries that make up the United Kingdom and less popular than its southern neighbor among Brazilians, Northern Ireland is rich in history and culture, as well as being considered one of the places with the happiest people, known worldwide for its excellence in education.
It is worth remembering that Northern Ireland attracts many film and television fans because it provides many of its landscapes for filming, as is the case of the famous series Game of Thrones, which had a large part of the scenes filmed there.
Its capital, Belfast, is the country's cultural and economic center, considered one of the safest places and with the lowest cost of living in the United Kingdom, where accommodation, food, travel and leisure are much cheaper than other cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Leeds and Newcastle. Compared to London, the Irish city is almost a third cheaper.
Belfast is also home to one of the best partner universities in the loveUK: the Queen's University Belfast. Founded in 1849 by Queen Victoria, it was intended to serve as an alternative to another institution controlled by the Anglican Church, becoming the ninth oldest university in the United Kingdom. Queen's became independent in 1908 and is currently one of the largest teaching and research institutions in the world.
Member of the prestigious Russell Group, the institution has a community of over 23,000 students, 2,200 of whom come from over 80 countries. Throughout its history, Queen's has brought together a number of notable students, winners of coveted awards, such as the 1995 Nobel Prize for Literature, Seamus Heaney, the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, Lord David Trimble, the Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Muldoon, and also had as a student the former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.
The University is ranked 8th in the UK for research excellence, with over 751 world-leading TP3T in the most diverse areas. Some of the fields that are most highly regarded for teaching and research are Medicine, Biological Sciences, Law, Management, Arts and Humanities. “We have world-leading institutions in specialist areas such as Conflict Resolution, Cyber Crime and Global Food Security, so there is always something to offer those exceptional students,” says Peter Brimstone, International Officer at Queen's.
“We are indeed very proud of our history and research leadership, but we never rely on reputation alone. We also have Innovation Commons and Innovation Academy hubs, where students can work with employees, investors and business advisors to bring business ideas to life. And don’t just take my word for it, Red Bull has named Queen’s, along with Harvard University, as one of the seven genuinely innovative universities in the world“, continues Brimstone.
The university's campus has over 300 buildings, many of which are architecturally significant, reinforcing its mission to preserve history while innovating in 21st century education and research. Queen's is also ranked as the 24th most international university in the world and is among the top 200 institutions in the world, according to the QS World Rankings 2019.
“Our students are a key part of what makes Belfast such a diverse and socially inclusive city. We reward hard work and excellence, which is why Queen’s offers over £1.5 million in scholarships to international students, enabling them to apply their talent and hard work in the real world and to excellent research,” said the International Officer.
When asked about the main differences between the Irish capitals, Belfast and Dublin – the latter beloved by many Brazilians – Brimstone already has the arguments on the tip of his tongue: “the most important thing to tell students is that Belfast is a city with a much better cost of living. In fact, we are the most affordable student city in the UK and 45% cheaper than Dublin, which means your money will stretch much further here”.
Going beyond the financial issue, the International Officer uses the country’s own natural characteristics as an argument. “Lonely Planet ranked Belfast as the world’s number one destination to visit in 2018 and the Office for National Statistics officially named Northern Ireland the happiest place in the UK. This means that the people are very friendly and it is a fun destination for students.”
“Belfast has a vibrant and diverse social scene, with countless bars and restaurants all within walking distance of the university. We are also very close to the famous Causeway Coast, home of the filming of Game of Thrones, and the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And if anyone is keen to visit Dublin, it is only a two-hour train ride away. All in all, it has nothing but advantages!”
