---
title: "Illume Student Advisory Services Ltd"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT"
published: "2026-04-21"
---

# Illume Student Advisory Services Ltd

Buyer: THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff.json)

## Summary

The University of Kent has concluded a procurement process, directly awarding a contract to Illume Student Advisory Services Ltd for the provision of student representation services in Nigeria. This partnership is integral to Kent's international recruitment strategy, aiming to enhance their presence in Lagos and Abuja through dedicated staff. The procurement, categorised under services with a CPV classification for recruitment services, was conducted under the rationale of extreme urgency, bypassing competitive tendering. The award notice, published on 21st April 2026, details the contract, which spans from May 4, 2026, to March 5, 2029, with a total value of £328,630. Interested parties must note the upcoming milestone of contract signature scheduled for May 1, 2026.

This procurement opens growth opportunities for businesses specialising in recruitment services and international education. Organisations with expertise in local representation and recruitment strategies in Nigeria would be particularly well-suited to compete in similar tenders. Being identified as a Small and Medium Enterprise, Illume Student Advisory Services, demonstrates that smaller businesses with niche expertise can effectively compete and secure substantial contracts in international markets. Companies in similar sectors may find potential collaborative ventures or seek inspiration from Illume's strategic deployment, given their successful procurement by a prominent UK-based higher education institution.

## Notice

Illume will provide an in-country representation partner office for Kent, based in Nigeria. They will co-ordinate the recruitment and management of 2 Kent-exclusive staff members based in Lagos and Abuja. Nigeria represents a cornerstone of Kent's international recruitment strategy.

### Procurement Information

Where- (a)the goods, services or works to be supplied under the public contract are strictly necessary for reasons of extreme and unavoidable urgency, and (b)as a result the public contract cannot be awarded on the basis of a competitive tendering procedure. For the purpose of paragraph 13, urgency is unavoidable if it- (a)is not attributable to any act or omission of the contracting authority, and (b)could not have been foreseen by the contracting authority.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035928-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 21 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | 3 May 2026 - 5 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £328,630 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT |
| Locality | CANTERBURY |
| Post town | Canterbury |
| Postcode | CT2 7NZ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent |
| ITL 3 | TLJ44 East Kent |
| Local authority | Canterbury |
| Electoral ward | Blean Forest |
| Westminster constituency | Canterbury |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ILLUME STUDENT ADVISORY SERVICES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79600000 - Recruitment services

## Release History

- 21 Apr 2026 at 09:18 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035928-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035928-2026
  21st April 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.kent.ac.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0686ff.json.