Alumni Testimonials: What Past Students Say About the Programme
Many alumni remain life-long associates of the Executive Programme. Alumni have co-authored books and articles within the School of Law's Public Procurement Research Group, gone on to further postgraduate study (for example, PhDs) and provide practitioner-led seminars. Our alumni play a vital role in sustaining a vibrant procurement community through developing further professional contacts and networks.
UK professionals
Cabinet Office, Central Government, UK
Tracy Pritchard [Cabinet Office International and Reform Team] has fully incorporated the study they are doing on their LLM into their work and by doing this has brought an even deeper understanding to the work. In my 35+ years of managing staff I have not experienced an academic study providing such an immediate benefit to an objective.
Kelly Wilson, Commercial Policy Implementation Manager, UK Department of Health and Social Care
The LLM has opened my eyes to understand not just how UK procurement law and policy is made, but how international legislation and regimes can both influence and impact on the UK’s laws. It’s also provided excellent opportunities to network with peers and connect with experts in procurement academia. It has contributed greatly to my personal learning journey and I’m so pleased I did this course.
Rebecca Rees, Partner and Head of Public Procurement, Trowers & Hamlins
As a practising solicitor, it can be very difficult to find the time to fully research and immerse yourself in the law and policy of public procurement. Taking the plunge into the Executive Programme on a part-time / distance basis was a really effective opportunity to manage my full-time role with additional study. The teachers are the world's leading experts and were extremely accessible and helpful and the course materials are comprehensive - all of which made the areas of study relatable to the day-job and enjoyable.
I feel that the course has complemented my professional life - it has deepened my knowledge of policy and law and the wider context and practice of public procurement, which in turn enables me to provide expert and commercial advice to my clients.
Pete Arden, Procurement Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council
The Executive LLM equipped me with the knowledge that I needed for a step-change in my career development. The course offered the perfect balance between work and study, with comprehensive study material and taught sessions to ensure an easily manageable workload, and access to some of the world's leading thinkers in the field.
Stephen McDermott, Assistant Legal Director Buying Solutions, UK
Before I started the course I had very high expectations given Nottingham's global reputation for research and training in public procurement. On all counts I have not been disappointed. In fact so far, the course has even surpassed my high expectations. A fantastic course, run by leaders in their field.
My expectations were the course would be challenging from an academic perspective as well as providing understanding of the practical and operational issues associated with good procurement. I expected the content to be current. I expected to be able to see procurement from a global perspective, being able to look at the bigger picture.
European professionals
Geir Tore Gaukerud, Founder and CEO of Tiger Consulting AS
With nearly 25 years’ experience as a public procurement professional, consultant and advisor, and a non-legal academic background, I wanted to increase and formalize my competence in EU Public Procurement legislation. Being admitted to the Executive Programme in Public Procurement Law and Policy at the University of Nottingham School of Law provided the opportunity for an in-depth and critical examination of the EU Procurement and Remedy Directives combined with relevant CJEU case law in a high-level academic context.
Pursuing an LLM also provided useful knowledge on the challenges related to corruption and collusion, as well as procurement in the WTO, and maybe more importantly, on development and sustainability in a legal procurement context. The Executive Programme is taught by an extremely competent and inspiring academic staff - world class faculty! In addition to the intrinsic value of increased knowledge, obtaining the LLM degree from the University of Nottingham School of Law increases both my professional capabilities and possibilities.
Páll Rúnar M. Kristjánsson, District Court Attorney, Head of Legal The Icelandic Federation of Trade, Partner Reykjavik Legal
The combination of the best possible lecturers, productive intensive teaching sessions and world class reading material has been outstanding. As a practicing attorney I have benefitted immensely from the program. It has given me an insight into public procurement that has allowed me to provide the best possible service to my clients.
The program was extremely practical and has been of great use in my law practice. The intensive teaching sessions provided a valuable exercise in applying the complex rules of EU procurement to real life situations. This, along with world class lecturers and tailor made reading material made this program a fantastic success. I have applied the knowledge I acquired in the program in all my cases in the field since with excellent results for my clients.
International professionals
Lt Col Daniel Schoeni, Judge Advocate, U.S. Department of the Air Force
I was part of the first cohort in 2009, before the programme’s reputation had been established; my employer did not cover the cost, and I was reluctant to part with my own money. So I sought advice from professors at George Washington University, who vouched for the high quality of the procurement faculty at Nottingham. They were absolutely right. Studying with this programme was the single best decision I have made in my professional career.
The executive LLM’s reputation is now unquestioned. The benefits for those hailing from Britain or Europe are quite obvious, so let me focus on international students. This was my first exposure to comparative procurement law. That training has paid dividends. Learning about procurement in the UK and the EU helped me to understand my own system better. And this in turn opened many doors both professionally and academically. The credentials conferred by earning an LLM from this prestigious law school would alone justify the investment, but what I learned and the people I met were far more valuable. I cannot recommend this programme highly enough.
Etel Bereslawski, Lead Procurement Specialist, The World Bank
As a procurement practitioner working in a Multilateral Development Bank, I found this program extremely useful and interesting. It covers a wide range of rightly chosen procurement topics, all very relevant to my day to day work. After completing this program I felt equipped with an ample knowledge of international procurement regulations and practices, which substantially helps me in the exercise of my profession and in better serving the Bank's clients. I highly recommend this program.
Lesly Dodoo, Legal Director and Board Secretary, Public Procurement Authority, Ghana
Freshly recruited to head the Legal Directorate of a newly established organization responsible for regulating public procurement, I was absolutely excited to stumble on The University of Nottingham's new executive LLM programme in Public Procurement Law and Policy on the internet. The convenience of the course model (part-time, internet based, long distance) and detailed course content exactly met my training needs - rigorous academic training in a technical area at my doorstep.
Though intensive and challenging because of the full-time work, study and family combination, I have enjoyed the first half of the programme, which has already given me the necessary knowledge skills for my work as a regulator. It has definitely shaped my understanding of the role expected of me - to give policy advice based on well informed procurement objectives and principles. It has also highlighted the core function of procurement policy and regulation as strongly premised on the distinct goals that any system is keen to achieve - be they free trade, economic development, good governance, public financial management or anti-corruption objectives.
Particularly helpful features include the synthesis of law and procurement, and academic form given to an otherwise very technical and practical subject area; the well researched information packed, reader-friendly course materials; the intensive seminar-style teaching weekends; and especially, the opportunity afforded students to network with and learn from the best in the field.
I daresay that I speak authoritatively now on the subject and have become quite the expert in recognising the peculiar influences of both civil and common law traditions in Ghana's procurement legislation.
David Kiyingi Nyimbwa FCIPS, Acting Commissioner, Procurement Policy Dept, Uganda
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team that designed this Executive LLM Programme that for the first time addressing policy matters in public sector procurement. The flexibility of the programme enabled me to continue with my work with minimal interruptions.
When I first came across this programme on the internet, I was sceptical on whether there was anything new for me to learn in public sector procurement. Most academic programmes I had come across for postgraduate programmes in public procurement were characterised and dominated by 'procurement processes'. The team we interfaced with humbled my 20 years experience and honours (Fellow with CIPS) that I had attained.
The teaching approach, choice of facilitators, constructive criticism on 'best' practices and known concepts, etc illustrates what VFM is all about in academics. As the head of Public Procurement Policy Department in my country, I am already reaping the benefits of this programme eg. the confidence I have in executing my work, guiding the ongoing process of developing a Public Sector Procurement Policy for Uganda and planning for the next 'generation' reforms. I highly recommend this programme to all public sector practitioners.
Ngan T.T. Luong, Associate Procurement Officer, Viet Nam Resident Mission Asian Development Bank
Enrolling to this programme is one of my wisest decision. The programme has provided me a lot of knowledge and insights on the other advanced public procurement system other than the MDB procurement system which I'm working on. The materials provided in the programme are fantastic. Those include multi-dimensional analysis to help readers fully understand the subjects.
Such valuable knowledge has helped me a lot in successfully fulfilling my job and my career development. The programme is highly recommended for anyone who wants to pursue a professional career in public procurement.
Joel Munyori, Senior Procurement Specialist, The World Bank, Nairobi, Kenya
The executive LLM in Public Procurement Law and Policy is an excellent course as it equips procurement practitioners working in the public sector with relevant tools for helping Countries build and implement sound procurement policies, systems and institutions that advance their development.
After completing the LLM I am now better equipped and positioned to advice and support Borrower Countries undertake procurement reforms aimed at establishing modern public procurement systems in their respective countries. The course is also extremely relevant to MDBs in that it brings forth international best practices in public procurement regulation, aspects that are informing procurement policy changes taking place in most MDBs, and more specifically in the development of the New Procurement Framework, 2016 by the World Bank.
Michael Kofi Quashie, Procurement Manager, Agricultural Development Bank, Ghana
Obtaining LLM in Public Procurement Law and Policy from the University of Nottingham has helped to equip me with the necessary knowledge, skill and ability that has enabled me perform my duties efficiently as a Procurement Manager at the Bank.