The Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business is expected to confirm Thomas Begley as its new dean tomorrow.
Dr Begley, who holds the Governor Hugh L Carey chair in organisational behaviour at the college, has said that the school should aim to reach the highest possible position in the league of world business schools.
In his new position, Dr Begley will be responsible for managing 3,000 students and more than 100 faculty staff at the school.
His academic career has focused on organisational change, cross-cultural management and global human resource management issues. Before coming to Ireland in 2004, Dr Begley was professor at Northeastern University, Massachusetts, and held visiting posts in east Asia and in France.
His appointment is seen as a compromise between pro-reform and anti-reform candidates for the position. It follows a restructuring in University College, Dublin, of which the Smurfit school is a constituent college. Last December former top civil servant Paul Haran was appointed to head the commerce and law faculty, under which the Smurfit school operates.
"I want to pursue initiatives to develop the school in areas that serve the interests of business and of the Irish economy," Dr Begley said. "I see no reason why Ireland shouldn't have an elite school and see every reason why UCD should be that school."
