NWUPC Annual Conference 2026
FEEL THE ROAR OF THE CROWD AS YOU WALK ONTO THE PITCH FOR THE NWUPC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026!!!
University of Liverpool | 17th June 2026
Join us on Wednesday, the 17th of June for #NWUPC26 - a day where the Higher Education procurement community comes together to share ideas, learn from each other, and connect in person.
It's a chance to swap tips, hear from experts, and pick up strategies that really make a difference back at work.
Whether you’re looking for practical solutions, fresh ideas, or just some great conversations with people who get what you do, this is the place to be. Come along, get inspired, and leave ready to tackle the year ahead.
Why Attend?
✨ Unbeatable Networking Opportunities – Connect with procurement teams from across our Member institutions and grow your professional circle.
✨ Engaging Speakers: Thought leaders and experts will delve into the latest trends and challenges in procurement. With Free CPD Workshops throughout the day, level up your skills with engaging sessions designed to boost your skills and knowledge in procurement.
✨ Supplier Exhibition: Explore solutions and services from a diverse range of suppliers, all designed to support the unique needs of higher education.
Speaker Announcements #NWUPC26
We’re delighted to confirm the first of our speakers for #NWUPC26, bringing insight, sector leadership and practical expertise to this year’s conference.
Towards a new era of collaboration: next steps for transformation and efficiency : Miriam Deakin, Director of Strategy, Universities UK
Miriam brings a national strategic perspective, offering insight into the wider Higher Education landscape and the role procurement plays in supporting institutional resilience, collaboration and long-term sustainability. Looking into recommendations of UUK's Transformation and Efficiency Taskforce, the progress being made across the sector and our asks of government. With the chance for participants to reflect on, and share, steps they are taking in their institutions and where we could achieve more collectively.
Legal Insights Post-Procurement Act: The Power of Procurement in Action: Kieran McGaughey
This session will take a clear, practical look at how the Procurement Act 2023 is landing across Higher Education. Now that implementation is underway, what does “business as usual” really look like? Where are the pressure points, what risks remain, and what should procurement teams be focusing on next? Moving beyond theory, this session will provide legal insight grounded in real-world application, helping delegates understand how to strengthen compliance, improve governance and use the new regime more strategically. A confident, forward-looking update for procurement professionals ready to move from understanding the Act to making it work.
Laboratory Sustainability and LEAF - Jenna Lowe, Laboratory Sustainability Officer at the University of Liverpool.
Laboratory-based research is fundamental to scientific and societal advancement; however, it is also highly energy- and resource-intensive, it is estimated that laboratories produce 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and consume between three and ten times more energy and up to five times more water per square metre than a typical office building.
The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) supports laboratories to embed sustainable practices and reduce their environmental impact through structured guidance across key operational areas. Jenna has been involved with LEAF since its pilot at the University in 2021 and has managed the programme institution-wide for the past two and a half years. In this session, Jenna will share her experience of completing LEAF during the pilot phase, alongside insights into managing the programme across campus, highlighting both the benefits for laboratories and the challenges encountered.
Retention, Upskilling and Engagement: Strengthening Procurement Teams in HE - Hannah Quinn-Hill, National Procurement Business Director at Michael Page, and Laura Marshall, Customer Engagement Manager at Michael Page.
This session will look at what genuinely makes a difference when bringing people into a team, and, just as importantly, what encourages them to stay. Recruitment and retention continue to be real challenges for procurement teams across Higher Education.
Rather than focusing purely on hiring, the discussion will explore how we create working environments where people feel supported, valued and able to grow. From developing skills and confidence to improving engagement with stakeholders and strengthening procurement’s strategic role, the session will share practical ideas that apply to everyone and not just those responsible for recruitment. The aim is simple: to help institutions build procurement teams that are capable, motivated and sustainable for the long term.
Heard, Trusted, Valued: Building Influence in the Post-Procurement Act Era - Laura Sellers MCIPS, Founder of Coaching for Procurement.
The Procurement Act has changed expectations - but influence, not authority, is what gets results. Procurement faces a familiar challenge: you're expected to deliver value, drive compliance, and partner strategically across the organisation, yet you rarely have formal authority over the people you need to influence. The Procurement Act has added a new dynamic to this tension. This keynote explores why influence without authority has become Procurement's most critical leadership skill and introduces a proven framework that helps you to navigate it. You'll leave with a fresh perspective on how to position yourself as a strategic partner, not just a policy enforcer, and a clear structure you can start using immediately.
Laura is an accredited executive and team coach specialising exclusively in Procurement; working with leaders, teams and functions to strengthen leadership capability and drive lasting effectiveness. Working with individual Procurement leaders to expand their leadership toolkit with confidence, equipping them to influence outcomes and command presence at a senior level. Alongside this, she brings specialist expertise in team coaching, helping Procurement functions to build trust, sharpen communication and step into greater collective maturity.
Underpinning her work is the P.R.O.C.U.R.E® framework; a structured coaching approach designed specifically for the Procurement profession. She is the founder of Coaching for Procurement Ltd, built on her experience of working in-house and using that knowledge to drive higher performance in Procurement through transformational coaching approaches.
We’ll also be announcing dedicated sessions on Sustainability for the HE sector and AI in Procurement, alongside our afternoon Keynote Panel Dream Team, all coming soon.
Watch this space as #NWUPC26 is shaping up to be our most forward looking programme yet.
Delegate Registration is now open. You can register your place in just 2 minutes!
We can't wait to welcome you to the Conference at Mountford Hall, Liverpool!
Join us at the vibrant Mountford Hall in the Guild of Students, located in the heart of Liverpool. This iconic venue, part of the University of Liverpool, is perfectly suited for Members for an engaging and inspiring conference experience.
Venue Details:
Mountford Hall, Guild of Students,
160 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5TR.
Google Maps - Guild of Students Entrance.
What3words App - Guild of Students Entrance - pages.breath.cook
Directions & Navigation:
Road: The city is easily reached via the M58, M56 and M62.
Parking - We recommend Paddington Village Multi-Storey Car Park which is only a few minutes walk from Mountford Hall. The address for the car park is Elm Grove, Liverpool, L7 3FA.
Google Maps - Paddington Village Multi-Storey Car Park.
What3words App - Paddington Village Multi-Storey Car Park - ramp.kicks.gently.
Rail from Lime Street Station: It's a 0.7 mile walk but a lot of it is uphill so be warned! Mountford Hall is a 10-15 minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station. Google map directions for walking from Lime Street.
Taxi from Lime Street: Leave Lime Street by the left exit and you will find a large taxi rank.
Air: Liverpool John Lennon Airport – take a taxi or express bus directly outside the entrance to the airport. You can get buses 500, 86, 80A and 82A into the city centre.
Manchester Airport, - take a train from the airport to Liverpool Lime Street. There is also a direct coach service which takes about 1 hour.
Supplier Exhibition
The NWUPC Annual Conference Exhibition area is now officially sold out, and we can’t wait to welcome you.
We’re delighted to share that this year’s exhibition space is fully booked, bringing together a fantastic range of NWUPC framework suppliers from a variety of categories all under one roof. Come and visit our exhibitors to:
- Connect directly with trusted framework suppliers
- Discuss your upcoming requirements and challenges
- Discover innovative, sustainable and value-driven solutions
- Learn more about the added value and benefits available through NWUPC frameworks
The exhibition is a key part of the day, giving members the opportunity to have meaningful conversations, explore new opportunities, and strengthen existing supplier relationships in an informal, engaging setting.
