New business school for city centre
UCC’s Cork University Business School (CUBS) is set to move into the heart of Cork city, a move both physical and symbolic, at least according to the university.
UCC recently purchased a site bordering South Terrace, Union Quay and Copley Street in the city centre for €17.25 million from Dairygold.
UCC and Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited recently signed contracts for the prime property, extending the university’s footprint in the city centre.
A new building will be developed on the site for CUBS which will accommodate 4,000 students and 200 staff. The 1.46 acre site is the former Brooks Haughton Builders Providers.
CUBS is a leading provider of business education and research and UCC said the move will position Cork University Business School ‘at the heart of the business district, enhancing the social and economic fabric of Cork city and region’.
According to Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Head of the College of Business and Law, “the signing represents an important milestone in the continuing development of UCC’s Business School, formed in 2014 after decades of business education at undergraduate and graduate levels.
“The school’s new city centre home will ensure that innovation and business focus are at the heart of the student experience, ensuring graduates are world- and work-ready, in line with national policy.”
The Dean of the Cork University Business School, Professor Thia Hennessy said: “We have seen the demand for our business programmes grow over the last few years and our physical infrastructure has been the main constraint on that growth. This building will give us the capacity to realise our potential in terms of student numbers and to offer a world-class student and staff experience in a future-proofed learning environment for generations of business students to come.”
UCC President, Professor Patrick O’Shea said: “As UCC President I made a commitment that our new business school should be city-facing and that we would be of the community and for the community. That commitment was central to our choice of site for the new business school.”
Dairygold Chief Executive, Jim Woulfe said: “Dairygold is pleased to be in a position to facilitate UCC’s establishment of a world-class business school in Cork city. This agreement is in line with our strategy of maximising the value of our non-core property assets and divesting of them to facilitate investment in higher margin dairy business initiatives. We wish UCC every success with its new business school.”