THE CONTEXT:
The global logistics market is rapidly progressing to digital, intelligent and sustainable solutions, amounting to more than 1000 billion EUR by 2025 (Transport Systems Catapult, 2016). Digital, intelligent and sustainable logistics (DISL) is important in order to increase safety and tackle Europe's growing emissions and congestion problems; make processes within supply chains more efficient and sustainable; enable the proper integration of nowadays society in the next-generation Industry 4.0 context.
THE PROBLEM:
Higher education institutions (HEIs) do not have the accurate means to tackle the existing need as the current curricula focus more on general logistics and supply chain management rather than specific DISL related issues. In addition, the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) classifies Poland (31th), Slovenia (39th) and Greece (44th) among 167 evaluated countries (https://lpi.worldbank.org/). The biggest identified shortcoming is lack of holistic approach to the field of logistics, especially when considering the incorporation of intelligent and sustainable aspects into SCM. Weakness is also effectiveness of the implementation of these approaches in practice. In particular, there is a need to transfer contemporary concepts into business to further enhance the effectiveness of the SCM. The latter especially emphasizes the role of HEIs in the field of SCM.
TRANSNATIONAL SOLUTION & METHOD:
To this end, NEXTLOG responds to the above need by aiming to develop an innovative, transnational framework that will improve the knowledge and skills of academic institutions to produce more market/oriented DISL curricula, reducing the barriers in this field. The project consortium comprises key academics, industry related associations, public organisations and companies from diversified sectors who will co-create the envisaged DISL curriculum and will pilot it through an open innovation and co-creation virtual learning environment (VLE). This outcome is directly pertinent to quadruple helix-academia cooperation for innovation and best practices with respect to DISL, and can also support policy reform in this area, leading to more prepared graduates ready for the labour market. NEXTLOG also follows up the recent plans of the EU to promote improved, efficient and clean operations by 2050 and is also relevant to the EU2020 targets for R&D, climate change, energy efficiency, entrepreneurship and social cohesion. This makes NEXTLOG directly relevant to the current objectives of the participating organisations. The need for a transnational pan-EU approach on this matter is critical in order to overcome the pan-EU skill gaps and confirmed by: EU Commission’ report on Intelligent Transportation Roadmap (2016); EU Commissions New Skill Agenda for Europe (2016); WEF Report on Graduate Skills (2016); CEDEFOP’s report on Environmental & Digital Skill Promotion (2016); EU Commission’s JRC Report on 2035 Sustainable Economy (2015); EU’s EPALE platform report on Sustainable Business Skills (2017).
AIM:
NEXTLOG responds to this need by aiming to develop an innovative, evidence-based transnational framework that will markedly improve the knowledge and skills of HEIs to produce more labour market oriented DISL curricula, reducing the barriers in this field by:
- Establishing a transnational collaboration (via open innovation and co-creation) across EU in order to address (at a large scale) existing training needs in DISL
- Co-creating DISL curricula (with ECTS accreditation)
- Developing an innovative, evidence-based virtual learning environment (VLE) with a built-indecision support system (supporting economic, environmental and social modelling of DISL)
- Organising three transnational mobility sessions with DISL quadruple helix stakeholders
IMPACT:
NEXTLOG enhances providers’ & quadruple helix stakeholders' capacity to produce more market oriented DISL curricula. This outcome is pertinent to co-operation for innovation and best practices with respect to DISL, and can support policy reform in this area, leading to more prepared workforce for the DISL market.
Also, NEXTLOG enables transnational DISL skill development/ learning mobility leading to DISL homogeneity in EU. Overall, NEXTLOG supports: EU Transport (2050); EU2020 targets for R&D, climate change and energy efficiency, E+ priorities by offering internationalized life-long-learning, quality education through industrial engagement, and promoting creative thinking via the proposed DISL curriculum with ECTS accreditation.
Key quantitative measurements include: 50 staff involved in mobility events; 350 users of the VLE, 350 registered users on the DISL e-learning courses, 170 participants in the multiplier evens, 30 000 people reached overall by the project dissemination.
