Higher education can significantly enhance the quality of public procurement, according to experts Louise Knight, Klaas Stek, and Esmee Peters from the University of Twente. Their research highlights the crucial role that formal education plays in developing the skills and expertise needed by public buyers to conduct efficient, transparent, and high-quality procurement processes.
As part of the PROCEDIN consortium, an EU-funded initiative focused on innovation in public procurement, substantial research has been carried out on the link between public procurement and education. The results emphasise that investing in higher education and specialised training for public procurement professionals is key to addressing the complexities and challenges in this field. This includes fostering a deeper understanding of procurement strategies, legal frameworks, and innovation-driven purchasing.
The newly published article (available in Dutch, with the option for translation via DeepL) offers an in-depth look at the influence of education on the knowledge and competence of public procurement officers. It underscores the importance of structured educational pathways in building a skilled workforce capable of making informed decisions that drive better outcomes for public procurement processes.
For more detailed insights and to explore the full findings of the study, you can access the article down below.
