Planning

Postgraduate Research Management System

ASTON UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Jan 2026 at 09:13

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Aston University, located in Birmingham, United Kingdom, is in the planning stage of a procurement process for a Postgraduate Research Management System. The procurement aims to find digital solutions that support the management of the Postgraduate Research (PGR) student lifecycle. This opportunity falls under the industry category of educational software packages. Prospective suppliers have until 28th February 2026 to engage in market discussions. The procurement process is expected to continue with a new notice on 15th March 2026, with the contract period anticipated to start on 15th June 2026 and possibly extending until 2031.

This tender presents a considerable opportunity for businesses specialising in educational software to showcase and provide solutions that are widely adopted within the UK Higher Education sector. Businesses well-suited for this tender need to offer robust, out-of-the-box solutions with proven implementation success, and minimal customisation requirements. Solutions should include UK/EU hosting, preferably within Microsoft Azure, and support integration through fully documented REST APIs. Small and medium enterprises, as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises, are encouraged to participate. Suppliers who can offer security certifications such as Cyber Essentials Plus or ISO 27001 are particularly positioned to benefit from this procurement opportunity.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Postgraduate Research Management System

Notice Description

Aston University is seeking to engage with the market to better understand available solutions that can strengthen the support and management of our Postgraduate Research (PGR) student community. This notice is issued for market engagement purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to procure, nor does it form part of any formal procurement process at this stage. The University is seeking information to inform future decision-making and potential next steps. 2. Context and Objectives Aston University is exploring options for a digital solution that provides end-to-end lifecycle management for PGR students, supporting academic, administrative, and regulatory processes from application through to award. Our objective is to identify solutions that are mature, widely adopted within the UK Higher Education sector, and capable of supporting PGR lifecycle processes in a robust, efficient, and largely out-of-the-box manner. 3. Scope of Functional Requirements The University is interested in solutions capable of supporting the full PGR lifecycle, including but not limited to: * Admissions * Applications for all forms of PGR study (funded and non-funded) * Student Onboarding * Enrolment * Induction processes * Programme Management * Learning agreements * Training and development, including: * Training Needs Analysis (TNA) * Module and course information * Attendance tracking * Certification and records * Supervision and Engagement * Supervisory meeting scheduling and records * Progression and Assessment * Progression milestones * Qualifying / Upgrading / Transfer reports * Annual progress reports * Student Status Changes * Extension requests * Leave of Absence / Suspension of Study requests * Examination and Completion * Initial thesis submission * Viva management * Examiner reports * Final thesis submission * Award processing 4. High-Level Technical and Service Requirements At a high level, Aston University anticipates that any potential solution would: * Have proven implementation and strong adoption within the higher education sector * Provide robust PGR recruitment, admissions, and progression functionality * Support all lifecycle activities listed above * Require minimal customisation and operate largely "out of the box" * Offer fully documented and maintained REST APIs to enable integration with the University's Azure based middleware * Be delivered as a SaaS solution with a transparent 12month development roadmap and UK/EU based hosting (preferably in Microsoft Azure) * Support single sign on via OpenID Connect or SAML2 through Microsoft Entra ID * Have security-based certifications that confirm commitment to maintaining a security focussed infrastructure, such as Cyber Essentials (Plus), ISO 27001 or equivalent * Consideration will also be given to usability and user experience.

Planning Information

Prospective suppliers who meet all of the listed requirements are encouraged to contact procurement@aston.ac.uk.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06105b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007373-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

CPV Codes

48190000 - Educational software package

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jan 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Mar 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
14 Jun 2026 - 14 Jun 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ASTON UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Sarah Carrington
Contact Email
procurement@aston.ac.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B4 7ET
Post Town
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
TLG31 Birmingham
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Nechells
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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