Business & Economics

Johanna Clancy is a Lecturer in Business Enterprise at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics at the University of Galway,. Her recent appointment as Associate Head of Sustainability and Impact follows her lead role in managing the School's commitment to the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a global platform for advancing responsible management education.. 

Johanna has almost 20 years teaching experience, predominantly in the academic environment, but also in corporate and nonprofit settings. Prior to her current role at University of Galway, she held the position of Registrar at Galway Business School, as a Management Consulting Analyst with Accenture and as a Postdoctoral Researcher. She was awarded a PhD (2009) in the area of international business management, having completed a MSc in Corporate Strategy & Human Resource Management (2003) and a Bachelor of Commerce (2002).

Following her PhD research, Johanna has published in international peer-reviewed ABS-rated journals, including Global Strategy Journal, International Business Review, and British Journal of Management. She has also published chapters in internationally published books and has presented at numerous international conferences. 

An evolving current area of interest for Johanna is in social enterprise and civic engagement, and the interface between the region and the university in this regard. More recently, her research interests have grown in the area of responsible management education. She is currently a research member of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Growth & Scaling, and the Social Enterprise Research Network Ireland.

Johanna teaches primarily in the areas of social entrepreneurship and responsible management at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She designs and delivers modules with innovative teaching methods. Experiential learning and interactive classes form the core of Johanna's pedagogical approach, and she integrates industry and community involvement in her modules. In 2024, Johanna was awarded the President's Award for Teaching Excellence, and the UN Principles of Management Education (PRME) UK-Ireland award for innovative pedagogy.

Johanna is an active advisor and volunteer in the local business and social enterprise ecosystem. She is currently non-executive director of SCCUL Enterprises, having served five years as Chairperson and having success in attracting national and EU funding as part of this role. Johanna is also a member of the city's Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Committee, and volunteers for the Hygiene Hub national charity. In 2021, Johanna was awarded the President's award for Societal Impact.