The Management School has welcomed 48 doctoral researchers from 28 universities across 12 countries and regions to its fourth Operations and Supply Chain Management PhD Summer School.
Organised by the School's Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) Group and the Centre for Supply Chain Research, the event was led by Professor Andy Lyons, Professor Hugo Lam and Dr Xinjie (Daniel) Xing.
The five-day programme brought together leading international academics to share the latest advances in research methods and emerging topics in operations and supply chain management.
Across nine expert-led sessions, doctoral researchers explored key areas of OSCM research, including case study research, analytical modelling, logistics and transportation modelling, the use of secondary data and strategies for publishing in leading academic journals.
The programme featured contributions from Professor Andy Lyons, Professor Hugo Lam, Professor Tsan-Ming (Jason) Choi, Professor Zlatko Bodrožić, Professor Tolga Bektaş, Professor Jo Meehan and Professor Dongping Song from the University of Liverpool, alongside visiting scholars Professor Haitao (Tony) Cui (University of Minnesota) and Professor Zhaohui Wu (Oregon State University).
The Summer School concluded with the inaugural OSCM Early Career Researcher (ECR) Conference, where doctoral researchers took part in a PhD Research Presentation Competition.
Each participant delivered a five-minute presentation outlining their research questions, motivations, methods and findings before receiving feedback from senior academics and fellow researchers.
The presentations reflected the breadth of OSCM research, spanning analytical modelling, empirical research, mathematical programming and case study research across sectors including healthcare, agriculture, maritime logistics and the platform economy.
Alongside the academic programme, delegates enjoyed a range of social activities designed to strengthen connections across the international cohort.
View the photo gallery from the event:
Students explored Liverpool through a guided campus and city tour before gathering for a group dinner, while a team-based social event featuring board games and bowling provided further opportunities to build professional relationships.
To enhance the student experience, the organising committee also developed a bespoke digital platform, bringing together timetables, learning resources, catering information and social activities in a single app throughout the week.
The Summer School received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, who described it as:
"An experience I found both enriching and beautiful… a truly international community of PhD candidates and scholars. I can confidently say that it has proven to be an excellent investment, one that I will certainly recommend to fellow PhD candidates."
Another participant said the Summer School was:
"One of the most memorable and transformative experiences of my PhD – I left with new knowledge, new perspectives, new friendships, and renewed enthusiasm for the journey ahead."
Others highlighted the opportunity to connect with researchers from around the world, describing the event as "a great opportunity to make connections and learn" and "more than just an event – it was an opportunity to witness the passion, curiosity and dedication that drive impactful research."
Following successful Summer Schools in 2023, 2024 and 2025, this year's event further strengthened Liverpool's reputation as an international hub for operations and supply chain management research.
With researchers representing 28 universities across 12 countries and regions, the Summer School continues to foster international collaboration and support the next generation of OSCM scholars.