Symposium
Connecting our CIPS accredited students, thinkers and future leaders across the globe

What is the CIPS Symposium?

Our Symposium is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to put yourself in the mix amongst bright minds and supportive professionals from across over 100 accredited programmes.

Not only will you be sharing thoughts and discussing challenges procurement and supply professionals face today, but you'll also have the opportunity to present your research through one of our two competitions.

Who knows, your research may just end up in your university library for future students in years to come.
Whether your research is on sustainability, contract management, supply chain challenges or any other related field, this is an opportunity to share your ideas and thoughts with people who are equally enthusiastic about the topic.

Not only will you be sharing your knowledge amongst fellow students and programme leaders, but this is your chance to get noticed by some of the leading procurement professionals amongst a range of industries. 

If you’re coming to the end of your accredited programme and eager to find your next career opportunity, then our Symposium will give you the kickstart and support you need. 

Symposium 2024 coming in October

Register your interest now

Get set to make the most of it by registering your interest in attending the event. Looking to enter the competition? Please check our rules and judging criteria before you register.

At our Symposium, you can:

ATTEND THE EVENT
GET SELECTED TO PRESENT
NETWORK WITH EXPERIENCED
PROFESSIONALS

Latest news and insights

Our Symposium is a platform to share news, insights and the latest thinking from across the world.

We’ll have speakers from CIPS and thought-provoking leaders from the world of procurement and supply who are ready to address and engage all attendees.  

Collaborate with your peers

Present your research ideas for questions, input and interrogation by our supportive global network.

You’ll also help to inspire the next steps for others by highlighting your learning process and how to carry your work forward.  

Get ahead in your future career

Thinking about where to start your career after your studies? Hear directly from our professional panel and CPOs on the skills and experience needed to progress.

Who knows, you may just find yourself networking your way up the career ladder. 

Unleash your competitive side

Up for a challenge? Stand out from the crowd and amongst your peers and enter our 3-minute thesis.

Showcase all the hard work you’ve been doing and put your skills on a pedestal to grab the attention of procurement leaders.

Enter a competition to feature at the CIPS Symposium

GIVE A 10 MINUTE PITCH

10 minute research pitches

Enhance your research project profile and pitch your findings to an audience of supportive and inquisitive minds.

How does it work?

We’ll select students to discuss their findings through a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.

All presentations will be presented live and recorded, so that registrants will be able to view again via the platform. This is your chance to really get noticed as you’ll also feature on our Symposium page and in our media which is viewed by procurement and supply professionals across the world.

What topic can I present? 

Any topic! From sustainability, supply chain resilience, logistics, innovation and many more, so long as it’s related to procurement and supply chain management.

What are the competition rules?

Please download our rules and judging criteria to find everything you need to know before you enter.
SHARE YOUR 3 MINUTE RESEARCH PITCH

3-Minute Research Pitch

The 3-Minute Research Pitch is a chance for you to consolidate your ideas and research discoveries, all in a compelling and engaging three-minute presentation.

Why should I enter?

The 3MRP isn’t just a competition. Soft skills are sought after in the procurement and supply profession and the 3MT is a chance for you to put your soft skills to work and to stand in the limelight.

The top five 3MRP entries will not only feature on our YouTube channel where we have over 10,000 subscribers, but presentations will be recorded and shared on our website.

What topic can I present? 

Any topic! From sustainability, supply chain resilience, logistics, innovation and many more, so long as it’s related to procurement and supply chain management.

What are the competition rules?

Please download our rules and judging criteria to find everything you need to know before you enter.

Competition timeline

GIVE A 10 MINUTE PITCH
 

2 August

All entrants must submit a draft thesis and initial slides by this deadline

30 August

Judging process concludes and Top 6 “winning entries” will be notified

27 September

Selected Students submit final slides.

16 October

Top 6 finalists present at the Symposium!
SHARE YOUR 3-MINUTE RECORDED RESEARCH PITCH
 

6 September

All entrants must submit their videos by this deadline.

27 September

Judging process concludes and Top 5 “winning entries” will be notified.

30 September

Selected videos uploaded on CIPS YouTube and voting begins.

16 October

“People’s Choice” winner confirmed live at the symposium as the most liked video.

CIPS Symposium 2023 – 3MRP video finalists

Our 3-Minute Research Pitch competition follows a similar format to the 3MT© The University of Queensland. It’s an opportunity for students on a CIPS Accredited University Programme to showcase their thesis in 3 minutes to our global procurement and supply community. It’s a great way to condense all of their hard work of generating ideas and research findings into a captivating and concise three-minute presentation.  

Watch our 2023 finalists below.
Fidelia Utari
Cold Chain logistics to reduce horticultural food loss and waste in developing countries

Fidelia condenses her exploration into critical issues shaping our world today. In this video, she shares her research and findings into the pressing topic of "Horticultural Food Loss and Waste in Developing Nations”.

Christopher Gemill
Challenges of Procurement & Supply Chain Management in British Defense Contracting

Chris he condenses his extensive research on the challenges faced by procurement and supply chain management in British Defense Contracting. He unveils some of the innovative solutions powered by the emerging technologies to overcome them.
Iwan Dawes
Barriers to Public Procurement for SME's within Adult Social care South East Wales

Watch Iwan in this exploration of the intricate landscape of public sector procurement and supply within the adult social care sector in South-East Wales.  Iwan delves into the critical evaluation of the barriers that Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face in this crucial sector.

2023 Student Research Winners

Ayu Gayatri Sistiafi
Indonesia
University of Manchester

Research title: Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network Design with Carbon Emission Considerations

Ayu is from Indonesia and graduated from The University of Manchester in 2023. She’s had work experience related to quality systems and sustainability in manufacturing and is keen to contribute to the field of sustainable supply chains. 
Samuel Sie
Borneo Malaysia
University of Strathclyde

Research title: Sustainable Supply Chain: An Assessment on the Reverse Logistics of Electric Vehicle Batteries for a Circular Economy in the UK

Growing up in rural Borneo, many opportunities were not available to Samuel. But today he is pursuing his passion to merge automotive and motorsports with sustainability – and growing as an individual. Having graduated in 2023 with distinction and best overall performance across three MSc Supply Chain programmes at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, Samuel has joined Envevo as the strategy officer to accelerate the UK's EV charging infrastructure.
Cristian Perez Chacón
Peru
University of Manchester

Research title: Cold Chain Logistics Challenges Faced by SMEs in Food Industries.

Cristian, originally from Peru, graduated with a master's degree in operations, project, and supply chain management from Alliance Manchester Business School in England in 2023. Currently a general cargo delivery manager at APM Terminals (Maersk Group Business Unit), he focuses on enhancing port terminal operations within international logistics.
Sethu Jayakumar
India
University of Strathclyde

Research title: Green Procurement Strategy: Mitigating Carbon Footprint Through Sustainable Supply Chains

Sethu achieved a master's in supply chain and procurement management from the University of Strathclyde in 2023. He is currently a procurement adviser at Transport Scotland, dedicated to advancing “mission zero” in the transport sector through a strategic and systematic procurement approach. His focus lies in sustainability and efficiency in procurement practices. 
Khaled Bibi
Palestine / Jordan / UK
University of Sussex

Research title: Impacts of Procurement 4.0 adoption in upstream oil & gas on supplier relationship management & resilience capabilities - Is the grass greener on the other side?

Khaled is an industrial engineer with an MSc in global supply chain and logistics management from the University of Sussex, graduating top of his class with distinction honours. Originally from Palestine/Jordan, Khaled is currently working as a procurement coordinator at Thermo Fisher Scientific UK. He is passionate about enriching operations and people's lives through supply chain excellence and industry 4.0 technologies. Khaled is eager to tap into new possibilities for positive change in the world of procurement and supply chain management. 
Thi Ngoc Diep Ngo
Vietnam
Leeds Beckett University

Research title: Customer Behaviour and Impacts on the Vietnamese Coffee Industry’s Supply Chains.

Thi graduated with a master's degree in supply chain management and logistics from Leeds Beckett University in September 2023. She held the role of purchasing manager at Sumitech Industrial Corporation (construction general contractor in Vietnam). Her research presentation on customer behaviour and its impact on the Vietnamese coffee industry’s supply chains was well received at the CIPS Symposium 2023.