MIT launches Malaysian supply chain partnership

Malaysia has boosted its regional profile in logistics and supply chain management in Asia after partnering with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently. 

The partnership will result in the formation of the Malaysian Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (MISI) which will offer graduate level education and conduct research in the areas of transportation, logistics, and supply chain management.

Faculty as the MISI will work directly with researchers and educators at MIT and across the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Network.

The SCALE Network covers academic centres in four continents.  The other centres in the network are the MIT Centre for Transportation and Logistics (MIT CTL), the Zaragoza Logistics Centre in Spain and the Centre for Latin American Logistics Innovation in Colombia.

MIT CTL director Yossi Sheffi said that Misi could be the penultimate centre in the network as a final centre in Africa would allow MIT to cover each continent.

The signing of the agreement was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who commended the three parties for their efforts, which supported the nation's aspirations to strengthen higher education and to be a regional education hub.

“With Misi's establishment, I believe that research and development in logistics and supply chain industry will propel and accelerate other industries for the benefit of the nation,” said Mr Najib.

The news centre is now recruiting academics to join soon see  http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/mit-malaysia-0322.html for more information on this joint initiative.