THE ROLE OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS
is not a given. This is because it requires subsequent and potentially contentious decisions concerning the industries and thematic areas on which a school will focus and any associated allocation of future resources. These choices then inform programme portfolio design, faculty hiring priorities, areas of research focus and the identification of target external partner organisations. While making choices is difficult, no school can do everything and a failure to prioritise inevitably results in a dissipation of impact potential. Having said that, decisions of this kind are not eternal and schools seeking impact will need to foster a culture of entrepreneurial plasticity to enable future adaptation. Management of a school’s ecosystem positioning is another crucial aspect. This entails embracing an active approach to the running of alumni relations, advisory boards and the building of strong links to industry-leading organisations. Beyond immediate graduate recruitment possibilities, a school’s choice of industry partners is important in the longer term for the way it generates challenge and feedback opportunities. This helps ensure that curricula are cutting-edge, with opportunities for the co-creation of new industry-relevant programmes and collaborative research projects pinpointed at every possible juncture. By developing close partnerships with key organisations, schools can underpin the creation of a positive reinforcement cycle that benefits all stakeholders. This fuels high-quality educational programmes that result in excellent student outcomes and support economic development. Important synergies can also be found from formulating links to state or regional development agencies, whether in relation to new client development – for example, attracting new employers to an area – or in supporting the expansion of development agencies’ existing clients. While all business schools generate a positive contribution to economic development through their educational and research activities, consistent effort and focus over time is required to build the necessary internal and external alignment that underpins deeper impact. Business schools’ ability to shape a better future is a privilege and it is our duty to ensure we put this ability to good use.
ONE SCHOOL’S ROLE IN NATION-BUILDING
Moreover, the college has had a pivotal influence over many years on the domestic front, contributing to the development of the modern Irish economy as a global economic hub. Almost five per cent of the country’s total population are UCD graduates, with the College of Business contributing just under a third of the university’s total alumni base. In terms of programmes, delivery is influenced by thought leadership from industry, with strong involvement of senior practitioners as guest lecturers, adjunct faculty, student mentors and project sponsors, many of whom are alumni. The college also works with government agencies responsible for industrial development, such as Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Authority, for the purposes of client development and identifying emerging skills needs. Complementing its industry focus, the college embraces the three overarching themes of digital business, sustainability and the role of business in society, weaving elements from each into all programmes.
Every business school has a unique environment and individual story, but narratives can still provide interesting exemplars of practice. For example, as one of six colleges within University College Dublin, UCD College of Business’ history reaches back to 1909, pre-dating the foundation of the Irish state in 1922. It was an early adopter of the MBA in Europe, launching an executive MBA programme in 1964. Today, its four distinct schools, including the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, have an alumni network of more than 90,000 and enrol 7,000 students each year. “Creating a better future together” is the tagline for the college’s current strategy (or “ Níos fearr a chruthú le Chéile ” in Gaelic), capturing its aspiration to support transformation across individual, organisational and societal perspectives. There is a strong international dimension to this objective, with graduates contributing to economic life in the US, UK, Singapore, India and China, among the more than 120 countries in which our alumni are located.
BIOGRAPHY Anthony Brabazon is college principal and dean of UCD College of Business, University College Dublin. Brabazon is also co-founder and co‑director of UCD’s Natural Computing Research and Applications Group. His primary research interests concern the development of natural computing theory and the application of natural computing algorithms to real‑world problems
42 Ambition • ISSUE 2 • 2025
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