UCD Moore Centre opens for business as Quinn School unveils €20m extension

Posted 01 September, 2019

• The expansion will enhance UCD undergraduate business education
• New expansive wing increases the Quinn School’s physical space by almost 50%
• Dedicated to the legacy of entrepreneur and UCD alumnus, Dr George G. Moore

A new €20 million Centre for Business celebrating the achievements of UCD alumnus and renowned businessman Dr George G. Moore has open its doors at University College Dublin.

The UCD Moore Centre for Business doubles the size of the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business.

It features a range of new facilities to enable business students to tackle complex ideas through the latest advances in learning technology.

Integrating fully with the Quinn School across three levels, the €20m expansive wing includes interactive learning hubs, a 320-seat lecture theatre, and extensive co-working zones designed to mimic those in start-ups and innovation hubs.

Key features of the new business centre include the PwC Lecture Theatre, the KPMG Skills Zone, the EY Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub and the George Moore Digital Collaboration Space.

Designed by leading architecture firm RKD, the UCD Moore Centre for Business was opened by founding donor and business leader Angela Moore to honour the legacy of her late husband, entrepreneur, philanthropist and UCD alumnus Dr George G. Moore.

A native of County Louth, Mr Moore left Ireland in 1972 with two degrees from University College Dublin.

He became one of the most successful Irish businessman of his generation, and is remembered as one of the founding fathers of the data analytics industry.

UCD President Professor Andrew J Deeks with centre founding donor and business leader Angela Moore

Speaking at the launch, UCD President (opens in a new window)Professor Andrew J Deeks said the new centre was dedicated to the legacy of “one of UCD’s most successful, distinguished and generous alumni.”

“[Dr Moore’s] impact on business, his generosity of spirit, and passionate advocacy for education brought him many honours, including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from UCD in 1991, an honorary doctorate in Sciences from the University of Ulster in 2006, and a CBE from Queen Elizabeth in recognition of his contribution to Northern Ireland’s economy.

“Through the generosity of the George and Angela Moore Trust, as well as that of our corporate partners, alumni and donors, we have been able to execute a shared vision, creating a space that will allow for new ways of side-by-side learning for students, faculty and colleagues, and a social space for ideas to flourish," he added. 

“Our hope is that George’s story and the UCD Moore Centre for Business will inspire and encourage our students to believe in themselves and their ideas – a fitting tribute to one of the most successful business people of his generation.”

We're extremely thankful to our donors for their partnership. The UCD Moore Centre for Business is built upon an extraordinary foundational gift from Angela Moore in memory of her late husband UCD alumnus George Moore. (opens in a new window)@UCDBizAlumni (opens in a new window)#UCDQuinn (opens in a new window)#UCDMoore (opens in a new window)#FutureOfLearning (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/vGTdtMltiH

— Quinn School UCD (@QuinnSchoolUCD) (opens in a new window)2 September 2019

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Professor Anthony Brabazon, UCD Dean of Business said: “The UCD Moore Centre for Business exemplifies how leadership from alumni and donors, academia, industry and the student body can collaborate to design an educational environment that not only looks towards the future, but is made with flexibility at its core in order to prepare students for a rapidly changing future.

“The new facility is an exciting part of ongoing campus development plans that firmly place UCD as Ireland’s global university.”

He added: “We are sincerely grateful for the extraordinary foundational gift donated by Angela Moore in memory of her late husband Dr George Moore.”

(opens in a new window)Associate Professor Maeve Houlihan, Director of the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business said: “Our students have told us that when we change spaces, it changes how we teach and what is learned.

“The UCD Moore Centre for Business allows our students to stretch and thrive both in and outside of the classroom, along with faculty and fellow students, which is a better representation of how they will work after graduation.

“This learning environment gives them added insight and experience in developing communication and problem-solving skills, teamwork know-how, and inter-cultural confidence.

“This is about students, about business, about society and about changing the way we live and work. This is the future of business education,” she added.

The new expansive wing increases the Quinn School’s physical space by almost 50%

Principal corporate partners involved in the UCD Moore Centre for Business include PwC and KPMG. Notable contributions were made by UCD Business alumni, EY and the Mont Kavanagh Trust. 

Feargal O’Rourke, Managing Partner of PwC Ireland, said: “As technology reshapes the world of business, we are proud to invest in the innovative PwC Theatre which takes auditorium space to a new level of engagement and transparency of which we are really proud. We look forward to the diverse conversations that will happen in this space.”

Seamus Hand, Managing Partner of KPMG Ireland, added: “The UCD Moore Centre for Business will allow business students to learn in an environment that celebrates innovation, creativity and adaptability—characteristics we know to be essential for their success in the workforce and as global citizens as we face bold challenges on an unprecedented scale.”

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations