Elaine Larkin looks into developments at UCD's faculty of commerce and sees enhanced communications and smaller class sizes from autumn 2002 at the impressive new Quinn School of Business.

This autumn the faculty of commerce at UCD, also known as UCD Business Schools, is going to change significantly for students. The faculty consists of two schools - Quinn School of Business in Belfield and the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

The major change will be for undergraduate students attending the recently-named Quinn School of Business (after its main benefactor, Lochlann Quinn, chairman of AIB and UCD commerce).

When the new undergraduate school of business opens its doors to students in September, it will be in its very own premises for the first time since the faculty was established in 1908.

The five CAO business degree options to choose from at Quinn School of Business are bachelor of commerce; bachelor of commerce (international); bachelor of business and legal studies; bachelor of actuarial and financial studies; bachelor of science (economics and finance).

Apart from a new name and new premises, there are other perks to the Quinn School development.

UCD commerce students can look forward to smaller class sizes and obligatory laptops.

UCD Business Schools Dean, Professor Philip Bourke, says the new development at Quinn School of Business is set to radically alter the way students are educated.

He believes it will enable the faculty of commerce to become a world leader in educating e-business professionals. He said that "students enrolling in Quinn School of Business, UCD, will receive the most progressive business education in Europe.

"Personal laptop ownership will ensure that all business students, and their families, can exploit the benefits of the new learning environment, equipping them with the skills essential for the business world."

Laptop ownership is a requirement for all first year students enrolling in the Bachelor of Commerce degree programme and within a few years it will be obligatory for all Quinn School students.

The school has struck a deal with Dell whereby students can buy affordable machines and with Bank of Ireland so that students can finance them. The idea is that students will use their laptops daily in classes and coursework. Class notes will also revolve around the laptop.

Use of the laptop, it is believed, will greatly enhance communication between lecturers and students, enabling instant examinations and feedback to take place in class.

It is no surprise then that the Quinn School will be housed in one of the first university buildings in Europe to be designed with a special focus on e-technology and e-learning. The new electronic infrastructure, according to UCD, will add value to the learning dynamic between students and academics and equip the university to move aggressively into the emerging arena of technology-supported business education.

Every desk, study and social area in the new building will be wired for internet access, offering as many as 2,000 (wired or wireless) network connection points. This gives students the flexibility to study at any time anywhere.

Students will also be able to access Quinn School of Business Intranet-based learning resources from anywhere at any time. A secure, personalised student portal will provide access to personalised learning, information services, programme and course information, as well as project group contact details, project details and submission requirements and administrative processes.

The introduction of "virtual experiential learning", will mean, for example, online simulations of real business situations such as production environments, product-to-market contacts, trading rooms, interactive case studies and business games that will enable students to apply their knowledge and decision making skills and observe the consequences of their decisions.

Video linkages will enable live communication with students and teachers at other universities for the purpose of lectures, interviews and project exchanges.

Already the UCD Business Schools hold a number of firsts: UCD was first to establish an MBA programme in Europe; the first school in Ireland to receive international Equis accreditation; and the first school in Ireland to be accepted as a member of AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and CEMS (Community of European Management Schools).

A recent Financial Times survey of top international business schools also ranked Smurfit School UCD first in Ireland and fifth in the world for return on investment.

A significant number of graduates of the faculty of commerce have gone on to hold prestigious positions in the EU, the United Nations, the World Bank, large multinationals and well-known international management consultancies.

Many have also made significant contributions to the Irish economy and can be found in every sector of business, industrial and professional life.

For further details phone Quinn School of Business, UCD at (01) 716 8337/8990 or visit its website at www.ucd.ie/quinnschool