DFE and CIPS sign new MOU to strengthen commercial capability in education
CIPS and the Department for Education (DfE) have launched a new four-year strategic partnership.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to build and enhance procurement knowledge within the schools sector.
We are very of proud of this partnership that has already been strengthening capability in multi-academy trusts (MATs) and schools across England.
Ben Farrell, CIPS CEO says:
“This new MoU with DfE isn’t just a document; it represents our strong commitment to continue to develop the work we’ve done together over the past three years. Our partnership has already delivered tangible results, specifically in improving commercial capability for multi-academy trusts through our Procurement Excellence Programme, and in boosting the core procurement skills of school business leaders.”
Susan Dawson, DfE Commercial Director, said:
"This MoU is a signal of both parties’ intent and ambition to work together to help the sector continue to improve its commercial capability. We are committed to providing access to CIPS learning, such as their popular Procurement Fundamentals training. We’ve had really positive feedback from participants so far, on the pilots we ran, and from the courses we’ve supported in the autumn term. We look forward to continuing our journey together with CIPS: this work is inspirational and a true shared endeavour for the benefit of all in the sector.”
Looking ahead, our partnership focus will be on creating accessible, high-impact learning pathways for staff at state-funded schools and MATs across England.
Schools and trusts want to have access to the commercial expertise needed to secure the best value for money. We actively encourage participation in ethical and sustainable standards of practice; it’s at the heart of what we do
Together our shared ambition is to collaborate to create relevant learning pathways for both generalist and specialist procurement practitioners in all types and sizes of state-funded school or trust across England.
To talk to us about how we can help your organisation transform your procurement and supply function, contact us: corporateSolutions@cips.org
For more information about DfE supported CIPS training, visit School business professionals: training and development.