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Professor Federica Pazzaglia has been appointed as the new Director of UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and Associate Dean of UCD College of Business. She began her term on September 1, 2023.

Professor Pazzaglia brings considerable academic leadership experience to the Director role of Ireland’s leading business school, notably as the Head of the College’s Management Subject Area. In addition, she has led major programme redesigns across the College’s Dublin and Singapore campuses, contributed to the development of the College’s strategic plan and served as Academic Director of the MSc in Strategic Management and the MSc in Management programmes.

Professor Pazzaglia’s research focuses on behavioural approaches to strategy, cognition, and entrepreneurship and her work has been published in the world’s top academic management journals. Prior to joining UCD in 2009, she held roles as an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba School of Business, Canada and a Visiting Professor at Instituto de Empresa Business School, Spain. 

In her new role, Professor Pazzaglia plans to focus on three priorities which are to enhance the positioning of the School’s programmes in areas of relevance to students and employers and emerging market trends; grow the diversity of the student cohort; and extend the resonance of research activities for business practice and policy through greater dissemination.

Professor Pazzaglia takes over from Professor Gerardine Doyle who completed her term as Director and Associate Dean after leading the School since 2018. Professor Doyle will return to her position on faculty. 

Professor Federica Pazzaglia, Director of UCD Smurfit School said, 

“Business schools worldwide are being called to play a centre-stage role in enabling students to succeed in a changing world of work and have an impact on grand business and societal challenges. UCD Smurfit School is uniquely positioned to thrive in this dynamic environment. Our cutting-edge programmes and academic curriculum, informed by our world-renowned researchers and our community of alumni and industry connections, make the UCD Smurfit School experience inspiring, memorable, and transformative. These are at the front of my mind as I take on this new role.”

“I am delighted to take on the role of Director of UCD Smurfit School. UCD Smurfit School has a distinctive tradition of academic leadership and a reputation for ambition, openness, and engagement both in Ireland and overseas. I look forward to furthering this legacy drawing on my international, academic experience and the deep understanding of the vision and strengths of the School, acquired through various academic leadership experiences.”

Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business said, 

“Under our UCD College of Business strategy for 2022-2026, Creating a Better Future Together, we have a very ambitious agenda for UCD Smurfit School in the years ahead. Professor Federica Pazzaglia brings a wealth of academic leadership experience and energy to the Director’s role. I am confident that she will maintain the strong upward trajectory of UCD Smurfit School in becoming a European-leading centre of excellence for rigorous, relevant, business education and research.”