MoLo „Modern Logistics: Enhancing Entrepreneurial Skills and Motivation” is an Erasmus Internsive Programme application submitted by the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland, with participation of students and academic teachers form our partner universities from Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spain.
The idea for the project originated in view of the fact that university graduates are inadequately prepared for work in logistics companies. Trends in logistics change fast, therefore the curricula require systematic updates and modifications. Moreover, employers frequently indicate that the education process does not equip the students with sufficient practical skills such as: drafting the production plan, choosing the optimal size and number of supplies, purchase register, cost calculation, work organization in the production department, measuring customer satisfaction etc.
Contemporary logistics processes go beyond national borders. The emergence of the great European markets, thanks to the establishment and expansion of the European Union, has created new phenomena and new trends in the development of logistics, and the changes have a direct impact on the development of logistics processes. Therefore, we have invited Project partners from different countries, diversified geographically (East-West, North-South) and historically (“old” and “new” European Union), which will enable our students and teachers to analyze those processes in different legal, geographical and cultural contexts.
The project’s objective is to equip students with additional knowledge and practical skills in the area of designing new logistics services. The European added value and innovativeness of the Intensive Programme as compared with other programmes run locally in each of the partner institutions lied in introducing the supplementary practical elements, direct involvement of company representatives in the didactic process, and developing projects in international teams. Considering the fast progress in logistics trends and the international character of logistics processes, the introduction of these elements into the study programme has a key significance for the education of the future management and specialists, who will find employment in logistics enterprises in the country and abroad.
In a long-term perspective, the project is meant to contribute to the enhancement of study programmes in logistics and creation of closer relations of universities with the business environment.
Within the framework of the programme, we plan a series of classes and workshops delivered by teachers from the partner universities and representatives of the business environment. Moreover, special emphasis will be placed on the students’ independent work. They will be working on projects in 6-person international teams in order to develop innovative solutions to real needs of logistics companies. The project work will be a competition, and the results will be presented to an international judging panel comprised of representatives of universities and companies. The programme includes also study visits At companies and accompanying activities intended to support the participants’ integration and to get them familiar with the region’s places of interest.
The programme aims to equip the participants with practical knowledge and skills needed to design logistics services, and to gain a better insight into the processes in companies. Furthermore, the participants will develop their social competencies in terms of foreign language practice and international team work. The project activities will be integrated with the study programmes, and the students will obtain 5 ECTS credits on completing the intensive course.
