As Business Schools navigate a rapidly evolving landscape, they are presented with a powerful opportunity to lead by example. Now more than ever, institutions must embody the very principles they instil in their students – adaptability, resilience and innovation.
In March, we launched the inaugural UCD College of Business Impact Makers Summit, welcoming 250 alumni back to campus. The conference featured faculty, senior business leaders and alumni providing an afternoon of insightful sessions. Another notable event featured UCD Smurfit Executive Development and Boyden Ireland welcoming rugby legend Ronan O’Gara to share leadership insights.
This year, UCD Smurfit School’s Aspire Scholarship Programme celebrates its 16th year supporting talented and ambitious individuals with the financial means to pursue their degree. Thus far 163 graduates have benefited from the programme and a further cohort join us this September.
The Smurfit School opened a purpose built gym facility on campus which is proving hugely popular. A group of finance MSc students excelled in the CFA Ireland Research Challenge as UCD were crowned champions for the fourth year in a row.
UCD Quinn School students travelled to Onsi Sawiris School of Business at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, for the inaugural Doing Business in the Middle East global immersion week. The pioneering initiative offered 15 students an unparalleled opportunity to delve into the dynamic business and rich cultural landscape of the region. Students Oisín Mallon and Oisín Walsh also stepped onto a global stage, representing Ireland at the Red Bull Basement competition global final in Tokyo with their idea StepAhead – an AI-supported platform that connects young people to mentors.
UCD College of Business celebrated the opening of the UCD Global Lounge at our Singapore Campus. The inspiring, collaborative space provides a dynamic home for an exchange of ideas between students and faculty, facilitating opportunities to explore and innovate. Professor Susi Geiger was selected to represent Ireland as the new European Research Council (ERC) Ambassador. The ERC aims to promote investment in frontier research and its benefits to the economy and society.
Professor Joe Peppard was recognised in The Case Centre’s Bestselling List of 2024 in the Strategy and General Management category with his case study, ‘Driving Digital Transformation at Faurecia’. Professor Donna Marshall was awarded the prestigious Financial Times Responsible Business Education Award for the EU-funded research project, FReSCH (Fashion’s Responsible Supply Chain Hub), which recognises academic research that drives real-world change.
Professor Gerardine Doyle led an innovative collaboration between UCD Smurfit School, Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, NUI Maynooth, Harvard Business School and Boston Children’s Hospital, exploring the cost of outpatient cystic fibrosis care for children across Ireland and the United States.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Financial Times named UCD Smurfit School among the top 30 Business Schools in Europe, at 21st in this ‘ranking of rankings’. The School also offers Ireland’s only fulltime MBA that features in the Financial Times global rankings. In addition, the School’s Executive MBA was top-ranked in Ireland in the QS Rankings, placing 87th globally and 30th in Europe. Across our MSc portfolio, five programmes were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS Business Masters Rankings including MSc in Supply Chain Management (14th), MSc in Marketing programme (31st), MSc in Management (CEMS) (46th), MSc in Business Analytics (44th), and MSc in Finance (48th).
UCD Smurfit Executive Development secured the top spot in Ireland in the 2025 FT Executive Education Rankings with a global top 50 ranking for the eighth year in a row for Open Enrolment Programmes (47th). In Custom Executive Education, the school ranked 56th globally and secured an impressive ranking of 3rd globally in the Growth category.