SDG 1: No Poverty

Mobilizing research for social impact

Queen’s researchers work in partnership with governments, community groups, and NGOs to advance social and economic policies and discussions critical to Canada's future. Sample projects that focused on addressing poverty and its roots and ripple effects include the annual Queen's International Institute on Social Policy conference, the John Deutsch Institute for the Study of Economic Policy Paper Series, and Queen's Global History Initiative's conference on Poverty and Scarcity in Global History.

^{Queen's researchers, students, and members of Queen's Senior Leadership meet with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry in November 2022 – Queen's regularly engages with government partners as key stakeholders for collaboration and partnership to advance shared goals addressing global challenges}

Research on the ground

For the past seven years, Queen's PhD-Community Initiative has brought together teams of PhD students from different programs of study to assist local community organizations in addressing a particular issue or challenge of importance to them. This year's projects included developing an SDG framework for the City of Kingston, mapping support networks for refugee associations, and increasing engagement for community services developed for underserved groups.

In 2022, Queen's launched the Principal's Global Scholars and Fellows Program to increase its support for students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members forcibly displaced by conflict, political instability, violence, and persecution. The program is comprised of two streams to connect undergraduate and graduate students with streamlined admission options and funding to support their learning and to provide displaced faculty members and postdoctoral fellows with one year of support to continue their academic work.

Supporting women of all ages

The Ban Righ Centre assists women of all ages, especially those who are returning to university to continue formal or informal education. The Centre offers supports including student advising, workspaces, napping rooms, free meals, and financial assistance, as well as community-building events and programs.

Increasing access

Launched in 2022, the Major Access Awards offer transformative financial aid for our highest-need applicants so that they are empowered to accept their offer of admission to Queen's. Recipients are awarded dedicated financial funding of $10,000 - $18,000 (depending on program) per year for their four years of study to help them complete their degree.

The Promise Scholars program also aims to reduce financial barriers and increase access to Queen’s for local, first-generation students with financial supports between $60,000 - $100,000 over four years.

Queen’s Commitment Scholars Award celebrates and recognizes demonstrated leadership in, and commitment to, racial justice, social justice, or diversity initiatives by a student in their high school or in their community. The award provides dedicated financial, academic, and career support to help students complete their degree. First-year students are also eligible for the Commitment Bursary which provides support to students who self-identify as a member of an underserved or underrepresented group through the Admission Bursary application.

Ensuring bottom financial quintile student success

Through a range of anti-poverty programs, we seek to support and admit students who fall into the bottom 20% of household income group (or a more tightly defined target) in the country.

Programs include our Admission Bursary, the Queen’s Work Study Program, and Student Academic Success Services.

Giving back to those in our community who are in need

The Queen's United Way campaign is the largest workplace campaign for the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington accoutning for more than 10% of its overall fundraising target. Each year Queen's staff, faculty, and retirees raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for our local community.

Students offering support

The Community Outreach Commission of the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS) plays a major role in helping students from their faculty connect with community organizations looking for help and make meaningful contributions to the community. More than 300 students volunteer with the commission each year to run fundraising initiatives for local organizations, support food insecurity programs, and assist groups focused on youth mentorship, health and wellness, and animal welfare.

Located in downtown Kingston, Queen's Law Clinics is a professional, multifaceted law clinic that offers local residents free legal services provided by Queen's Law students. To date, 189 students have offered pro bono services to 1,590 community members.

Opportunities for international students

Queen’s is committed to supporting students from across the globe in accessing quality education. We are proud of our long-term agreement with the Karta Initiative, which enables talented, low-income youth from rural India to study at Queen’s. In 2022, Queen's hosted six Karta Scholars.

Since 1989, the Queen's local committee of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program has welcomed and supported 36 forcibly displaced students to set up lives in Canada, access funding, acclimate to their new surroundings, and get their bearings as new university students. In 2023, the WUSC National Office recognized Queen's-WUSC Local Committee with its annual award for Outstanding Contribution to the Student Refugee Program.

The Principal Wallace Freedom of Opportunity Award, established by Alfred and Isabel Bader in recognition of Queen’s 11^th Principal, Robert Charles Wallace, offers financial support for students from developing countries who demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to refugee students.

^{Queen's-WUSC Local Committee and students in the WUSC Student Refugee Program at the Student Recognition Awards reception}

Partnerships with the Mastercard Foundation support a variety of initiatives that enable students to research and learn at Queen’s. Through a partnership with the University of Gondar, the UoG/ Queen’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars program is designed to provide up to 60 of the Ethiopian university’s students and faculty members the opportunity to pursue graduate training related to disability in Ethiopia and Africa at Queen’s. The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship provides students and recent graduates from African universities within the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program the opportunity to apply to a free virtual entrepreneurship training program delivered by the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre.