Business Continuity Management at Trinity College Dublin
Universities operate in a increasingly complex and uncertain environment, where disruptions, from cyber incidents to severe weather, can occur at any time. A clearly defined response structure and robust continuity plans help prepare for and minimise the impact of disruption, protecting our people, assets, reputation, and the ongoing operations of the University.
Business Continuity is Trinity College Dublin's capability to continue delivering prioritised services and activities within acceptable timeframes and at a predefined capacity during a disruption.
Business Continuity Management forms part of Trinity's wider institutional resilience framework, working alongside risk management, emergency response, and disaster recovery to support preparedness, response, and recovery across the University.
Explore Business Continuity Management at Trinity College Dublin, including resilience planning, incident response, and strategies to maintain critical university operations and find Business Continuity guidance, resources, and planning tools, in the Business Continuity Information Hub (staff access only).
Our Purpose
The purpose of Business Continuity Management at Trinity is to implement, maintain, and continually improve a Business Continuity Management System that:
- Supports the delivery of critical services during disruption
- Reduces the likelihood and impact of incidents
- Protects people, assets, and information
- Strengthens preparedness, response, and recovery
- Enables long-term organisational resilience
Why Business Continuity Management Matters
Disruptive events can occur at any time and may significantly affect the University's ability to deliver its services and core activities.
Examples of potential disruptions include:
- Cyber-attacks and technology failures
- Fire and building-related incidents
- Flooding and severe weather events
- Utility and infrastructure failures
- Supply chain disruption
- Public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks
- Security-related incidents
Without effective planning and preparation, these events can impact teaching, research, operational performance, financial sustainability, and the wider University community.
Business Continuity Management helps Trinity reduce disruption, strengthen resilience, and maintain confidence in the University's ability to continue delivering its most critical services and activities.
Our Business Continuity Management Approach
Business Continuity is a shared responsibility across Schools, Faculties, and Professional Services.
Business Continuity Management is a continuous lifecycle that is regularly reviewed, exercised, and improved.
Trinity’s approach is informed by recognised professional standards and industry best practice, including ISO 22301 and guidance from the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).
The Business Continuity Lifecycle
The overall goal of Business Continuity Management at Trinity is to ensure that critical services continue, no matter what happens. This begins with establishing the University’s Business Continuity Management System, including policy, governance arrangements, and programme objectives.
The lifecycle consists of four key stages, operating as a continuous cycle:
Analysis -Identifying priority activities and assessing the potential impact of disruption over time.
Solutions Design - Developing appropriate strategies and plans to maintain services or enable rapid recovery.
Enabling Solutions -Implementing plans, assigning responsibilities, establishing systems, and training staff.
Validation -Testing plans through exercises, reviewing performance, and making improvements where needed.
Business Continuity Management is not a one-off activity; it is a continuous cycle:
understand → plan → implement → test → improve
Visit the Business Continuity Information Hub (staff access required) to access templates, planning guidance, and support tools for developing and maintaining your local continuity plans.
Contact
For further information, please contact:
Lee Mills
Head of Business Continuity
Business.Continuity@tcd.ie