Working at the forefront of procurement practice
2 December 2021
Cardiff University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply to develop its in-house procurement capabilities and enhance its procurement qualifications.
The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) is the world’s largest procurement and supply professional organisation. It is the worldwide centre of excellence on procurement and supply management issues. CIPS has a membership of over 70,000 in 150 different countries, including senior businesspeople, high-ranking civil servants and leading academics.
The three-year agreement will establish a co-operative framework to support the University’s current vision for the future, as set out in The Way Forward 2018-2023: Recast COVID-19.
The agreement, the first of its kind for CIPS where the enhanced accreditation of CIPS training and qualifications will be achieved through this close working partnership, will help to further strengthen their long-standing partnership with Cardiff University and Cardiff Business School.
For the University, this collaboration will enable extensive developmental opportunities for academic and professional services staff in the university, along with our researchers, students, and university alumni network.
Head of Logistics and Operations Management Section in the Business School, Professor Robert Mason, said, “We have long had a reputation for research, teaching and engagement in procurement and supply, but in recent years we have striven to further grow our presence so that today we are recognised as a real authority in this critical business process area. This pioneering link up with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply further cements our growing reputation in the discipline field and recognises the passion we have, through our research and teaching, for supporting the profession’s future at what many argue is a pivotal time.”
The University procurement department will join the largest procurement and supply community in the world, where members undertake ethics training and testing to become Chartered professionals through a Continuing Professional Development programme.
This agreement comes in addition to existing CIPS accreditation on two of Cardiff Business School’s postgraduate programmes, MSc Sustainable Supply Chain Management and MSc Logistics and Operations Management. Accreditation allows graduates of these programmes to receive an additional, internationally recognised route to becoming full Members of the Institute (MCIPS).
Reader in Procurement, Dr Jane Lynch, leading the partnership on behalf of Cardiff University, said: “We are delighted to be joining CIPS in their first agreement of this kind. Working together with CIPS will aid Cardiff University in leading by example in higher education, with an improved focus on value for money and community benefits within our procurement department.
"Our staff and students will gain access to CIPS’ extensive resource library, development events and annual ethics testing. This will all help to ensure that we both practise and teach the latest developments in procurement, aligning ours and our students’ knowledge not only with the largest professional body for procurement and supply but with other universities around the world."
Group CEO of CIPS, Malcolm Harrison said, “This is a great development where this enhanced accreditation process through the MOU will bring two major benefits – firstly the development of procurement and supply academic teaching supported by more industry and business insight and secondly increased capability within the University’s own procurement team.
“Supply chain challenges will always exist, so we need to strengthen our efforts in the development of highly-skilled and trained professionals through CIPS training and qualifications, accredited degrees and partnerships like this. This type of agreement may be the first of its kind but will be the pathway for others to follow. We are looking forward to working with the Cardiff team and to the future successes of this relationship.”
Share this story
People
-
Professor of Procurement
-
Professor in Logistics
