Portobello College in Dublin, which is situated on banks of the Grand Canal in one of the city's most fashionable suburbs, was established in 1989 to extend third level education in this State. Since then, the college has grown to become one of Ireland's leading third level private colleges with a reputation for innovation.

The college offers four NCEA-approved business degree programmes. These are: a BA in accounting and finance; a BA in business studies; a BA in Business information management; and a BA in marketing.

"This NCEA-approval," says the college's president, Raymond Kearns, "certainly enhances our standing and reputation among third level colleges as a provider of first class degree programmes. In addition, it is also a great reflection on the dedication and commitment of our staff to have - in just a few short years - established Portobello College as the best private third level college in the State.

"Students can have total and complete confidence in the standing and integrity of their degrees when they graduate from Portobello College. This means that students can pursue their degree programmes in the college confident and secure in the knowledge that their degrees are widely recognised in the wider educational and professional sectors."

This September, the college will welcome its initial intake of undergraduates into its first and NCEA-approved course leading to a BSc in computer science. This course, which is taken over four years of daytime study and involves a half-year of work experience, has been developed in consultation with the State's rapidly expanding computer industry.

"If ever," says Raymond Kearns, "there was a need for such a course - what with some companies in the sector already pointing to a shortage in computer science graduates in the Irish labour market - then this BSc in computer science is it. We are extremely hopeful that graduates of this course will enjoy a 100 per cent employment rate when they qualify with their degrees from Portobello College."

Currently, according to Raymond Kearns, around 80 per cent of the college's graduates are in employment after three months of leaving the college.

Raymond Kearns also draws attention to another innovation introduced by Portobello College this year in response to the fears caused by the demise of some private colleges recently. This is a bonding arrangement (see other story in this feature) organised in association with AIB. Raymond Kearns says: "For the student, this financial guarantee means that, no matter what happens, the course they choose at our college will run to its conclusion."

Students at the college can select courses from a wide range of full- and part-time degree and diploma programmes in the areas of business, marketing and human resource management. There are also two full-time law degree study options available at the college, an NCEA-approved two-year course leading to a certificate in computing and, as mentioned above, a BSc in computer science.

"We place," says Raymond Kearns, "a great amount of emphasis on relations between our students and their faculties. Each student, for example, is appointed a personal tutor who acts as a guide and mentor during their time in the college. Students get to know their lecturers; this means they can ask them questions directly about lecture material, suggested reading lists and various assignments they might be pursuing."

There are around 1,000 full-time and 200 part-time students at Portobello College - or the "campus on the canal" as some call it - and around 50 of the student body come from abroad.

"We have," says Raymond Kearns, "more students on degree programmes than any other private college in the State and are busy designing others - often in association with industry - to meet the growing demand from industry for graduates."

The college's headquarters are in the old Portobello Hotel on the banks of the Grand Canal in Dublin - while its teaching facilities are housed in the modern and well-equipped Harbour House nearby, and the £2.5 million Richmond House which contains a state-of-the-art 400-seat theatre.

According to Raymond Kearns, the college will formally open a £1 million gymnasium later this year, and also spends £60,000 a year on new titles for its library which is located in the Harbour House. The college also has a busy social and societies scene, and its student union is affiliated to USI.

"A special effort," he says, "is also made to make our students as computer literate as possible. Towards this end, there are over 120 terminals available to students in the college."