Transition of GLF to i-FUN (Intelligent Friends in the University Netowrk)

GLF: Making a BIG Difference in GUST Logistics Learning Community in Kuwait

In a sector characterized by paradigm shifts, every government in a GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) state is keen to promote and invest in innovative educational programs that synchronize with trade development strategies and economic plans now largely fueled by increasing price of oil per barrel..

With a foresight of Gulf University of Science & Technology (www.gust.edu.kw/glf) in Kuwait it enabled the development process in a specialized professional career filling the demand for intelligent logisticians and responsible leadership along with its institutional partner: University of Missouri, St Louis (UMSL www.umsl.edu/depts/cts) which was always geared to commerce, trade and economic policies of the region.

One of the areas of bilateral linkages with UMSL is the video conference in March 2008 of the recent scholarly work of Dr Daniel Rust, Associate Director of UMSL CTS on Flying Across America: Perspectives of Passengers that will interest many airlines in GCC states, the learning community in Kuwait and other stakeholders.

However, the academic freedom has been safeguarded among teachers in institutions of high learning everywhere. It facilitated the ultimate development of professional careers now articulated by GUST Logistics Forum (GLF) where free expression has been ensured. All the statements from special interest groups (SIG) involved, “assert that professors do their jobs best with full freedom of thought and expression, and with job security.” It implies that colleges should be run with shared governance in which professors have a meaningful say in the way institutions are run.

“Times have changed,” said Arthur Hochner, a Temple University professor, “Universities are very different places. They are not ivory tower any more.” Industry demands professionals and university supplies program specific training. Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary general, defined academic freedom this way: “the freedom to conduct research, teach, speak, and publish, subject to the norms and standards of scholarly inquiry, without interference or penalty, wherever the search for truth and understanding may lead.” GUST allays all concerns to ensure and fulfill these needs of the learning community in Kuwait.

Educational institutions evolve current capabilities, implement new ones and gain students & stakeholders’ acceptance for changes. 86 percent of enterprises see innovation as critical to success, but only 26 percent of enterprises believe that their current innovation level is sufficient to achieve their strategy (Gartner 2004). Because of the simple format of knowledge events developed by GLF, it had alleviated fears of an esoteric discipline in Logistics. The cloud had passed away.

Fajer Al Mutawa was one such Kuwaiti student in GUST who has optimized her learning potential to set sights as the first Ph.D, in Lancaster University Management School in UK. All the motivation to study and training for free speech was provided during the GLF events. She says, “GLF has nurtured me, it was my first step in the real world. Being part of the committee has tremendously enhanced my experience in business challenges through simulated settings. Today, I have taken all I learned to apply in my Master Degree studies. I must say, a truly rewarding and innovative initiative."

Yet another student to follow and excel as a model for others in the university is Shaikha Al Hashem who imbibed the spirit of professionalism during the SCATA celebration of achievers in the logistics and supply chain management industry. She remarks,” The GUST Logistics Forum has acted as an inspiration both in my education and my life. It's a program designed to train students to face 21st challenges and build up their creativity and skills to become young business leaders. GLF has a great impact on the future of its members and students from diverse business fields.”

In GLF, we overcame a lot of challenges but relied on experience, wisdom and professional skills.

There were moments of high and low while GLF navigated across the Arab culture and environment of a new institution. Reaching a milestone but not resting on our oars - a song breaks out in our heart and to thank for the divine inspirations that the Kuwait learning community have made it together in a demanding professional world.
And now to a positive quote from Grenville Kleiser (American Author 1868- 1953)
“To live at this time is an inestimable privilege, and a sacred
obligation devolves upon you to make right use of your opportunities.”


GLF activity share in 2006 shows a beginning of professionalism in specialized education at GUST in Kuwait. It is expected that there will be a faster growth of 15% in the GLF research and conferences attended for the new academic year – thanks to the support of GUST management and its strategic partnership with UMSL.

Connecting the World Together: Bridges & Tunnels

Where there is a will, there is way - this was demonstrated through another GLF seminar in Kuwait on May 22 where the team of engineers battled the challenges posed by nature to contruct the Tiran Bridge across the Gulf of Aqaba connecting Egypt and Saudi Arabia just to facilitate the flow of pilgrims to the Holy City of Makkah.

By divine inspiration the Arabian Dream took shape but thanks to the patronage of the seminar by Royal Embassy of Denmark who supported the learning community in Kuwait.

Transition in Transportation: What Kuwait could learn from Dubai Logistics City

One of the five seminars under GUST Logistics Forum was the focus on cluster management that was orgnized on May 1 2007 with the support of French Economic Mission who caught the fascination of the learning community in Kuwait with the fastest train record in Europe held by TGV France. As the railways are gradually emerging under the GCC economic unification policy, the subject was apt to fuel research and futher studies in Intermodal Transportation and Logistics. The seminar also highlighted the progress made by Dubai Logistics City which is fast taking shape for intermodal transportation by sea and land. A similar concept on cluster management is emerging in Kuwait through the Kuwait Business City

Here is to logistics that is being redefined for the next generation under GLF in GUST Kuwait

Logistics Skills Shortage!

Given the nature of supply chain management, and the growing complexity of the sector, there will be continued demand for specialist training and development in supply chain specializations (e.g., purchasing, customs). In order to minimize the fragmentation that many diverse offerings within a sector create, it is recommended that associations collaborate or partner to some degree to consolidate and deliver a common foundation upon which to build a specialization. Further, and as is the case between most universities and with some professional associations (e.g., CICA), that reciprocal arrangements and cross-recognition of certification standards and common bodies of knowledge be developed. This will serve to simplify the current array of fragmented and varying degrees of duplicative offerings and standards in the eyes of the applicants and candidates, and begin to create a common supply chain training and development “platform” for professional certification and recognition.

More details on http://www.logistics-skills.org/CLSC_full_report.pdf

Logistics

Logistics

2nd Cool Chain Conference - November 21, 2005 - Dubai

A Cool Chain in a Supply Chain– November 21, 2005
Perspectives from Seven Sectors of the Cool Chain Industry


Dubai is often described as a city with ideas and when it comes achieving them, all the stops are pulled out. This could be described as synergies of highly hard-working people who are driven by success of personal and commercial life.

In this second Cool Chain Conference, issues and trends that transformed the hub-and-spoke city of Middle East will be highlighted to the delight of those attending the event. The emerging business model includes a strategy for cool chain management affecting one growth sector - the floriculture which will become the focus after imminent opening of Dubai Flower Centre.

One of the notable trends in the production and processing stages in the supply chain is present the logistics journey of the flower from field to the vase at home – thus highlighting the challenges of post harvesting and preservation in the floriculture sector challenged by hot, dry and humid environment. The results of the survey done among stakeholders in the floricultural distribution will be presented during the panel discussion.

Program Schedule

There will be 9 sessions to stimulate the audience who attend the Cool Chain Conference on November 21, 2005. It is time and money well spent amongst people who would call themselves as trendsetters in the logistics of the Middle East region.
Industry experts and academicians will converge to stir up the creative process to accomplish profitable goals and ride on the popular waves of opinion comprising of –

·Safe Food: Challenges for Cool Chain Distribution
·Packaging Developments for Time Sensitive Cargo in a Supply Chain
·Managing Risks in Cool Chain Distribution: The Issues in Logistics Leadership
·Streamlining Supply Chain Procedures in Perishable Products Distribution
·Embedded smart labeling: RFID in the Cold Chain
·Keep it cool: The mandate for pharmaceutical companies and vaccine producers
·If the flowers wither, who is responsible: The logistics integrity in flower distribution
·Transportation Choice: The Imponderable in a Cool Chain Distribution. l chain
·HAZMAT – Safety in handling chemicals and explosives

Who Should Attend
·Directors and Managers from Food, Floriculture and Pharmaceutical Industry
·Functional Executives from Transportation, Warehousing, IT, Materials Handling and Packaging (TWIMP)
·Working professionals from industry –
oCut Flowers Photographic Films
oDrugs Cosmetics
oAdhesives and paints Explosives (for mining)
·Staff and students from universities and colleges


So you want to hear more such new ideas coming through the Cool Chain Conference. All that you need to do is contact TransLogistique Canada at info@translogistique.org

Select sponsorship is also available upon specific request only. Last date for sponsorship will be October 21, 2005

Logistics-on-the-Locomotive - An unique cultural and learning experience for Middle East

Logistics on the-locomotive is focused to enhance the cultural and learning experience of senior executives from Dubai and the Middle East. This event is scheduled from June 11 to 16 with support of business and industry in Canada, UAE and USA. The seminar sessions include a variety of topics on logistics, supply chain leadership and global trade.

TransLogistique welcomes also senior management from Canada, USA and other countries in the region. The event will be unique as railway is an absent mode of transport in Dubai and adjoining countries. So learning while rolling will be fun in a dynamic environment on a Classical Rail Journey starting from Vancouver to Calgary - Across the Spectacular Canadian Rockies

Register NOW - Exclusive Ro-Ro Experience - Limited Seats Only Taken on First-Come, First-Served basis only

More details for registration and sponsorship are available from info@translogistique.org

2nd Logistics-on-the Lake - June 24 to 30, 2006 - Niagara Invites Business Leaders of 21sst century

Logistics-on-the-Lake is a training event developed by trainers and professional logisticians without borders. It is aimed to develop the skill sets of senior managers and executives in the Gulf Countries and the Arab world at large. The event takes place between June 24 and 30, 2006 and will focus on Canadian Perspective on Logistics and Supply Chain Management. The venue of this seven-day seminar will be the Radisson on the falls. It combines learning logistics in fun-filled and innovative manner that will build lasting relationship among people and countries.

The seminar sessions will relate to global logistics in an interdependent world, intermodal transportation, technology and systems affecting a supply chain, electronic documentation, customer service, hands-on SCM software, warehousing and facilities management, air logistics, customs administration of Harmonized System of Classification of Goods and so on.

The unique aspects of the seminar are navigating the Welland Canal to see how the business logistics facilitates trade in Canada and the rest of the world; a field trip to the wine growing region, a first hand experience of automated warehousing facility of leading automakers; tasting what is best in the game of golf and all other social activities geared up to provide the motivation and learning in Canadian Niagara so different.

Crossing borders presents a supply chain with a variety of trade barriers to international business: tariffs, non-tariff barriers, exchange rates and differences in product requirements consumer tastes and business practices. Borders also present some direct obstacles to movement of goods: differences in transportation services and transport regulation, telecommunication and institutions such as public warehousing, wholesalers and distributors. All these leave a residual effect on the supply chain: product differences that result in high inventories, allowance for differences in business practice, transportation differences because differences in investment in public highways and other infrastructures or need to overcome changes in the relationships of currency exchange rates. So the participants will learn all this in a condensed but high-powered seminar that will transform the outlook of any logistics manager in the Arab world. The major change is that they will now move toward a global perspective, combining rationalized production located around the world with a quest for global markets. It would then be easier to reason why Dubai plays an important role as trading hub in the region and host unique events and world conferences like IMF 2003.

The invitation is also open to Senior Executives on both sides of the border - Canada and USA and more details are available if you direct your enquiry to info@translogistique.org