Dublin Business School

Dublin Business School (DBS), including Portobello College, is a private higher education institution based in Dublin, Ireland. With a student population exceeding 9,000, DBS offers a wide range of full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate programs. These span disciplines such as business, marketing, management, computing, law, accounting, information technology, arts, creative media, psychotherapy, and psychology. The degrees provided, particularly undergraduate and part-time courses, are recognized by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), which oversees education standards in Ireland. DBS is owned by Kaplan, Inc., a global education provider and a division of Graham Holdings Company. The school was originally established in 1975 under the name Accountancy and Business College. Over time, it has expanded through a series of strategic acquisitions. In 1999, it acquired LSB College Dublin, and in 2003, it was taken over by Kaplan, Inc., which was then a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company. By 2004, the college had grown to accommodate approximately 5,500 students. In 2006, DBS further expanded by acquiring the European Business School Dublin, a network of eight independent business schools across Europe. The following year, DBS took over Portobello College, a law school founded by Raymond Kearns, enabling the addition of undergraduate and postgraduate law programs to its curriculum. In 2008, DBS entered a partnership with the supermarket chain Lidl to develop a specialized degree program focused on the retail sector. Through these developments, Dublin Business School has evolved into a comprehensive educational institution offering a diverse array of programs and maintaining strong links with both academic and industry partners.