New Endowed Chair in Innovation Procurement at MSM

MSM and Corvers Commercial and Legal Affairs have just concluded an agreement to establish, from 1 January 2016, the Corvers Chair in Innovation Procurement at Maastricht School of Management. The memorandum of understanding was signed on 23 October 2015 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the headquarters of Corvers.

(Photo: Mr Stephan Corvers, Prof. Wim Naudé and Prof. Nicola Dimitri at the signing of the MOU to establish the Chair in Innovation Procurement)

The Corvers-MSM Chair will build up on the strong attention received in recent years by both Public Procurement and Innovation, as two fundamental drivers for growth and development, a point particularly stressed by the recent 2014 EU Public Procurement Directives. With innovation procurement through public expenditure accounting for about 18% of the GDP in the EU, delivery of best value for money has become crucial for the public sector. Moreover, because of its size, innovation procurement is in a best position for promoting innovative solutions to enhance societal growth and welfare. Innovation procurement also plays a role in industrial policy – vital for creating and maintaining a competitively growing economy, and an area of concern in the EC and industrially lagging countries in Africa and Latin America in recent years. The 2014 EC Directives stress also the importance for Public Procurement to deliver best value for money. This is clearly suggesting that effective procurement requires joint consideration of economic and legal aspects. If compliance with current legislation is fundamental, procurements design plays a crucial role for cost-effective purchasing activity.

The Chair will conduct research, lecture, and generally build capacity in procurement innovation, aiming also to link Europe and emerging economies through the networks and programs of Maastricht School of Management.

Professor Nicola Dimitri will occupy the Chair. Nicola Dimitri is Professor of Economics at the University of Siena (Italy), Lecturer at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IMT) Lucca (Italy) and Life Member of Clare Hall College (Cambridge-UK). He was formerly Deputy Rector of the University of Siena, Chair of the Economics Department and Italian Delegate to the 7^th EU Framework program (Cooperation – Socio Economic Sciences). He has been Fulbright Student, Chevening Scholar, NATO-CNR and Fernand Braudel Fellow (EUI).

About Corvers Commercial and Legal Affairs
Corvers Commercial and Legal Affairs is a leading legal consultancy firm in the Benelux area, specialized in European public procurement law, innovation, IPR and contracting. Corvers acts as an advisor and external expert for both governmental bodies and commercial businesses. Its value relies on the complete range of legal services offered (from legal research and analysis to legal consultancy); its unique combination between academic research; expert role towards policy makers and legal consultancy to contracting authorities; strong and wide network; and involvement in a wide range of cutting-edge projects relating to e.g. new policies, new markets, new products or services, new distribution channels and new technologies. Covers is consortium partner for the European Commission’s EAFIP initiative (www.eafip.eu) on innovation procurement.

For more information on the Chair see:http://www.msm.nl/research/corvers-chair-in-innovation-procurement/