Strategic sourcing in UK universities: becoming ‘intelligent customers’
Universities are beginning to discover the benefits of new business models in their dealings with suppliers, say researchers at the University of the West of England. They argue that institutions should become ‘intelligent customers’, which will involve investment in new skills, changes in culture and raising the profile of procurement and supply professionals.
Why blockchain could be the future in knowledge procurement
More applications are emerging for blockchain - a formerly obscure technology that underpins the digital currency Bitcoin. Nick Petford, chair of the Procurement UK forum and vice chancellor of the University of Northampton, is excited about its potential for procurement.
How universities save by making better use of IT equipment
Universities are saving money by extending the useful life of IT equipment and offsetting the costs of replacing them through recouping some of their residual value through recycling, this University Business article discovers.
Outsourced vs on campus services: what’s the best model? – live chat
With the sector spending around £10bn a year on goods and services, universities are looking to reorganise – through outsourcing or collaborative procurement –...
Queen Mary University of London: why taking responsibility is good for business
An institution with its origins in Victorian philanthropy values the contributions of all its workers and makes a positive impact on its local community.
Developing a global mobility framework for higher education
The global mobility of higher education staff is an area that has traditionally been difficult for universities with responsibility split between several departments. In this blogpost, Ian Ross of the North West Universities Purchasing Consortium’s (NWUPC) describes efforts to obtain better value for money in the procurement of global mobility services.
University procurement: not a sexy subject, but essential for our future
University procurement is not a sexy subject, says vice chancellor Nick Petford, but it's time it became a bigger talking point if the sector...
Finding the right contract caterer for your university
Many UK universities are deciding that catering is an outside job and are teaming up with external providers. This article in University Business looks at the experiences of universities and contract caterers in forming partnerships and working together.
Making sense of spend
Examining how money is spent is a vital activity for universities and much of this work is carried out on their behalf by the six consortia that make up Procurement England Ltd (PEL). Andy Wojciechowski of PEL explains how this work is helping the sector.
Smarter procurement in universities
Procurement UK was established to provide high-level leadership and strategic coordination for procurement across the whole United Kingdom. This infographic, commissioned by Procurement UK with the support of the Efficiency Exchange, celebrates some key achievements of the UK Higher Education Procurement community in recent years.
