President of the British Academy Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve and physicist Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell - both born in Northern Ireland - are among the distinguished speakers taking part in the My Brilliant Career conference at Queen's University.

It has been organised by Queen's award-winning Gender Initiative, which aims to improve the profile and position in the university.

Around 100 academic women from throughout the UK and Ireland are expected to attend.

Director for Queen's Gender Initiative Professor Margaret Mullett said: "Women's careers in universities can be predicted up to a certain level. Many of them will rise to the rank of professor, but very few go on to major leadership roles.

"This conference brings together female high achievers for a day's frank and open discussion of career paths open to women. We hope that the day will be inspirational, encouraging and thought-provoking and will encourage debate on the role of women in UK and Irish universities."

The conference is the latest initiative to be organised by Queen's Gender Initiative which was launched in October 2000 to implement the recommendations of the Women's Forum Report.

The initiative has produced a stream of tangible results in relation to family-friendly policies, flexible working, enhanced childcare provision, the establishment of a central maternity fund, mentoring schemes for female staff and effecting a major change in cultural attitudes.

In March, Queen's was awarded an Athena SWAN silver award for excellence in science, engineering and technology employment in higher education.