Interdisciplinary Public Procurement PhD Forum 2027

On 16 April 2027, the Utrecht University Centre for Public Procurement (UUCePP) is hosting its bi-annual Interdisciplinary Public Procurement PhD Forum. The forum provides a platform for PhD candidates from various disciplines and universities to present their research on public procurement. PhD candidates in economics, governance, law and other fields related to public procurement are invited to participate in the forum.

Public procurement is increasingly being viewed as a strategic instrument for pursuing policy objectives. Governments around the world are seeking to use public procurement to achieve value for money while also addressing objectives related to social protection, security and resilience, the environment, innovation, and economic development. In this sense, public procurement is increasingly expected to contribute to objectives beyond immediate purchasing efficiency and price.

These objectives are becoming increasingly prominent across jurisdictions, and public procurement can be an important instrument in responding to these challenges. This is unsurprising given the substantial economic weight of public procurement, which accounts for a significant share of economic activity in many countries around the world. The proposal for a new EU Public Procurement Regulation also fits this trend. 

At the same time, strategic use of public procurement creates risks, particularly when strategic procurement objectives conflict with core principles of public procurement such as transparency, equal treatment, economic efficiency, accountability, competition, the rule of law, and the protection of fundamental rights.

An interdisciplinary research perspective

Academic research on public procurement encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including law, economics, business administration, and public administration.  Indeed, the effects of public procurement often cross these disciplinary boundaries. For example, a procurement intervention may have legal implications, influence competition and human behaviour, and affect the achievement of broader policy objectives.

This raises the following question for public procurement research: what can we learn by bringing different disciplines together? A multidisciplinary approach can help identify interactions, trade-offs, and mechanisms that may remain hidden when procurement is examined from a single discipline. The Forum therefore seeks to bring together PhD researchers from different academic backgrounds to explore how their perspectives can complement one another and contribute to a better understanding of public procurement and its role in society.

Join the UUCePP PhD Forum

On Friday 16 April 2027, the fourth Interdisciplinary Public Procurement PhD Forum will be organized at Utrecht University with the topic ‘Public Procurement as a strategic tool’. The Forum is meant to be an open and inclusive space for PhD candidates who are working on public procurement to present and discuss their research. We invite PhD candidates from various academic disciplines with a research focus on public procurement – e.g., law, economics, business administration, and public administration – to participate and submit their abstracts. We encourage the submission of abstracts that explore the opportunities, limitations, and consequences of using public procurement in a strategic manner. Additionally, we invite the submission of abstracts containing innovative ideas about how to shape tomorrow’s more strategic public procurement law and practices. PhD candidates will present their work to peers and discussants from their own and other academic disciplines, and benefit from an interdisciplinary setting. A senior expert will provide feedback on your paper.

We invite you to submit your abstract on topics within the area of public procurement or closely related areas.  We welcome research in law, economics, business administration, and public administration. The Forum is interdisciplinary in its setting and dialogue, but individual papers do not necessarily have to be interdisciplinary. You are welcome to submit monodisciplinary or interdisciplinary research.

Relevant deadlines

The PhD Forum will take place on Friday 16 April 2027 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Participation is free of charge, but Utrecht University does not cover travel costs. The following deadlines apply:

• Deadline for abstracts (max. 250 words, excluding title): Friday 15 January 2027

• Notification of abstract acceptance: Monday 1 February 2027

• Deadline for full papers (indicatively, 3,500-5,000 words excluding appendices): Monday 15 March 2027

• Event: Friday April 16, 2027, Utrecht (on-site)

Submission of abstracts

Submit your abstract via this form.