Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick

The triple accredited Kemmy Business School (KBS) at the University of Limerick is Ireland’s largest business school, with a reputation for excellence in business education, providing a first-class education designed to prepare graduates for successful and rewarding careers. The school is named after Jim Kemmy, former parliamentarian and Mayor of the City of Limerick, whose public life focused on a concern for the common good, a belief in education as key to accessing opportunities and the pursuit of a society built on principles of fairness and dignity.

Through our programmes and our research, and true to Jim Kemmy’s legacy, we effectively integrate the economy, society and the environment to deliver a positive student experience as well as positive outcomes for the community. The KBS is at the forefront of social engagement and civic responsibility. In 2008, it was the first Irish business school to become a signatory to the UN Global Compact Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and, later, the first Irish PRME Champion school.

Integral to the development of the school has been its ‘can-do spirit’, which has often involved the adoption of new procedures and the introduction of new programmes of study to the Irish education system, bringing with it unique offerings to the Irish third-level sector. Strong links with industry, initially as a partner for education and employment opportunities, have subsequently become a major part of all KBS activities. Longstanding industry arrangements have been assiduously cultivated, and senior industry executives make regular contributions to modules through teaching and advice on curriculum development and membership on course committees. Arising from these key interactions and faculty’s knowledge of the ever-changing labour market, the KBS focuses on providing education across a range of formats and levels to promote inclusion and opportunity.