The launch of the N8 OSCM Research Seminar Series 2026 took place at the University of Liverpool Management School on 29 January 2026, marking the start of a new joint-university initiative aimed at strengthening research exchange and collaboration among academics and PhD students across the N8 partnership of eight research-intensive universities in the North of England.
Professor Hugo Lam, Director of Research for the Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) group, serves as General Chair of the series. He is supported by Seminar Secretary Ms Meiting Lin, a PhD student in the OSCM group, alongside appointed Chairs and Deputy Chairs at each N8 institution hosting seminars throughout the year.
The event opened with Professor Hugo Lam formally announcing the 2026 seminar series.
The inaugural seminar featured an insightful presentation titled “Blockchain Technology for Manufacturing and Service Operations”, delivered by Professor Jason Choi, Director of the Centre for Supply Chain Research at the Management School.
The seminar attracted strong engagement from across the N8 network and beyond, with more than 100 researchers in attendance, including over 40 participants joining in person and more than 60 attending online.
The high level of participation reflected the appetite for deeper collaboration and knowledge sharing within the OSCM research community.
Speaking after the event, Professor Hugo Lam commented, “It was my great honour to announce the launch of the N8 OSCM Research Seminar Series 2026 in Liverpool and wonderful to see such strong engagement from the N8 community and beyond.”
“I am particularly grateful to Professor Jason Choi for delivering this important inaugural seminar in the series and to Professor Andy Lyons, Head of the OSCM group, for his strong support of this initiative.”
The series continues across 2026, with seminars scheduled at partner universities including Newcastle, Durham, Sheffield, Manchester, Lancaster, York and Leeds.