Supply Chain Management and Logistics (SCML) encompass the planning, scheduling, control, and operation of all activities involved in the procurement, processing, storage, transportation, and distribution of products from the source of raw materials to consumption. The aim is to synchronize supply and demand and create net value.
The professions related to SCML are in high demand and offer prospects for further development at a global level, especially in Greece. This is due to the era of big data and disruptive technologies, as well as the liberalization of transport and the country's emergence as an international transit hub.
The MSc in SCML program provides theory, quantitative tools, and techniques for solving operational SCML problems encountered in practice. Students apply the knowledge they acquire during the program to various tasks and projects. This enables them to analyze the efficiency of supply chain operations, explain them in terms of quality, cost, and time, and improve them by redesigning operational procedures.
The MSc in SCML program:
Emphasizes quantitative analysis using operations research and applied statistics tools.
Offers a scientific approach with the rigor of engineering studies.
Features highly skilled instructors with international academic and professional experience.
Is designed to accommodate working individuals and students residing outside Volos, with classes held in the evening and supplemented by distance learning.
In the academic year 2020-21, the MSc in SCML program introduced two new courses in response to emerging trends and skill requirements in the Supply Chain Sector:
Design and Operation of Logistics Facilities (winter semester)
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (spring semester).
Supply Chain Management (SCM) involves the management of the flow of goods and services, encompassing the movement and storage of raw materials, work in progress, inventories, and finished products from points of origin to points of consumption.
SCM is a broad and dynamically evolving field; therefore, its definition varies and continually evolves.
According to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), SCM "encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing and procurement, conversion, and all logistics management activities. Importantly, it also includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers. In essence, supply chain management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies."
The Dictionary of the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), derived from the American Society for Production and Inventory Control (APICS), defines SCM as "the design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand, and measuring performance globally."
According to CSCMP, "Logistics management is that part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet customer requirements. Logistics management activities typically include inbound and outbound transportation management, fleet management, warehousing, materials handling, order fulfillment, logistics network design, inventory management, supply/demand planning, and management of third-party logistics service providers. To varying degrees, the logistics function also includes sourcing and procurement, production planning and scheduling, packaging and assembly, and customer service. It is involved in all levels of planning and execution—strategic, operational, and tactical. Logistics management is an integrating function that coordinates and optimizes all logistics activities and integrates them with other functions, including marketing, sales, manufacturing, finance, and information technology."
In Greece, the term "Logistics" is often translated as "Efodiastiki" (formerly "Epimelitia"). Law 4302/2014 for the regulation of Logistics issues defines Logistics as the set of processes necessary for the planning, implementation, and control of the flow (transportation, transit, and storage) of goods and merchandise from any point of origin to any point of destination and vice versa, as well as for the design, implementation, and control of the provision of related services and related information.
In conclusion, SCM is a broader concept that includes Logistics Management within its scope.
The MSc in SCML program is designed for business executives, entrepreneurs, and graduates of the first cycle of higher education who wish to receive training in the principles, methods, and practices for effectively managing people, resources, and information within the supply chain. This includes areas such as supply, production, storage, transportation, and product distribution.
The program's objective is to prepare scientifically qualified executives capable of handling complex operational, administrative, and financial challenges in the design, planning, operation, and control of all supply chain activities, including logistics.
The program commenced operations in the academic year 2018-19 and originated from the "Production Organization & Industrial Management" specialization within the MSc program titled "Modern Design and Analysis Methods in Industry," which was active within the department from 1998 to 2018.
Various studies conducted by professional organizations in Greece and internationally indicate significant development prospects for professions related to Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Logistics Management in the coming years.
A research report by the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) titled "The Supply Chain Sector" (2013), conducted within the context of the Mechanism for Diagnosing Business Needs in Professions and Skills, indicates substantial growth opportunities in the Supply Chain Sector in Greece. This growth is attributed to:
Customer awareness of cost reduction potential through supply chain management,
Sector development and rationalization resulting from transport liberalization, and
The emergence of Greece as a transit hub.
The same report identifies the following 12 most important occupations in the Supply Chain Sector until 2020:
Supply Chain Manager
Transportation Manager
Logistics Manager
Logistics Coordinator
Distribution Manager
Export Manager
Warehouse Manager
Logistics Engineer
Demand Planner
Purchasing / Procurement Manager
Warehouse Coordinator
Customer Service Manager
For each of the above professions, the research specifies the nature of the work and the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
In a more recent SEV special report titled "Future Professions and Skills in Supply Chain" (2018), compiled by the SEV Employment and Labor Market sector in collaboration with the SEV Supply Chain Committee, it is noted that the value of output in the Supply Chain Sector increased to 7.2% of GDP in 2016. In recent years, there has been a redistribution of activity within the sector, particularly with a strengthening of the storage sector and activities related to transport, and a decline in the land transport sector. This development has also impacted the quality of employment in the Supply Chain Sector, with the share of highly qualified occupations increasing from 16% to 21% of total employment in the sector from 2009 to 2016, while employment in low-skilled occupations decreased from 58% to 53%, and employment in medium-skilled occupations remained relatively unchanged at around 26%.
To maintain the international competitiveness of businesses in the sector and adapt to these changes, a strategic development of human resource skills is deemed necessary. This includes the creation of modern and integrated Master's-level programs in SCM.
Internationally, a recent study titled "The Supply Chain Talent Gap: From Gap to Crisis," conducted on behalf of DHL, surveyed more than 350 supply chain and operations professionals in five major regions of the world. It found a significant shortage of supply chain talent, partly due to high demand for professionals in the field but mostly because the existing talent pool is not keeping up with changing demands as technology reshapes the industry. The research concluded that today's ideal supply chain executive must possess tactical/operational-level experience and professional skills such as analytical skills. Tomorrow's ideal executive must additionally have high-level leadership, strategic thinking, innovation, and analytical skills.
Based on the results of the above research, it is evident that there are important opportunities for the development of professions in the Supply Chain Sector in the coming years, along with significant challenges in terms of the abilities and skills required for professionals in the field.
Regarding the prospects and challenges mentioned above, the MSc in SCML program offers the following competitive advantages:
The program is designed to meet the specific needs of businesses in the Supply Chain Sector, focusing on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by professionals in the field.
It places strong emphasis on advanced quantitative analysis methods, particularly in operations research, operations management, and data analysis. The program also integrates modern IT tools to ensure that graduates are well-prepared to address future demands and challenges.
Students are exposed to contemporary practices and technologies in SCM and Logistics through seminars conducted by experienced industry professionals.
The program is led by highly accomplished professors with established international presence and recognition. They bring practical experience in the field of SCM and Logistics to the classroom.
The program follows a rigorous scientific approach with the prestige of engineering studies, providing students with a strong academic foundation and credibility.
The MSc in SCML program accepts graduates from Engineering Schools, Schools of Science, Business Administration, and Economic Sciences from recognized universities in the country or abroad. Graduates from related departments of Technical Education Institutes (TEI) are also eligible. Candidates who have not graduated from Engineering Schools may be admitted if they pass examinations in specific undergraduate courses, determined on a case-by-case basis by the Department Assembly.
Every year, around the middle of the spring semester, a call for applications is published for the upcoming academic year's MSc in SCML program. Interested prospective postgraduate students need to submit an application using the designated form provided by the TMM Secretariat within the specified deadline. Along with the application, candidates must submit a copy of their degree, a certificate of equivalency (DOATAP) for graduates from abroad, an analytical score certificate, a certificate demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the English language, a curriculum vitae, and two letters of recommendation.
The selection process for candidates applying to the MSc in SCML program involves a personal interview, with consideration given to the following main criteria:
Overall undergraduate grade
Grades in undergraduate courses relevant to the subject of the MSc in SCML program
Performance in a diploma thesis, if applicable
Research activity
Relevance of the undergraduate studies to the subject of the MSc in SCML program
Professional experience related to the subject of the MSc in SCML program
Demonstrated proficiency in the English language
Possession of other graduate degrees
The Coordinating Committee of the MSc in SCML program determines the specific application of these criteria, taking into account the candidates' overall academic and professional backgrounds. In some cases, candidates may be required to take selected courses in their preferred field, and the results of these examinations will be considered for selection.
The maximum number of students admitted to the MSc in SCML program is limited to 30 per year.
The MSc in SCML program awards a Postgraduate Diploma in "Supply Chain Management and Logistics."
The minimum duration for completing the MSc in SCML program with full-time attendance is 3 academic semesters, while with part-time attendance, it extends to 5 academic semesters. To obtain the "MSc in Supply Chain Management and Logistics" degree, a total of 90 credits (ECTS) are required.
Successful completion of the MSc in SCML program involves:
Attending and successfully passing eight (8) courses
Preparing and successfully defending a postgraduate thesis
Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in seminars on modern practices and technologies of supply chain management and logistics. The program also organizes educational visits to innovative businesses in the Supply Chain Sector.
All courses are compulsory. The MSc in SCML program does not have specializations/directions.
The tuition fees for the MSc in SCML program are 3,600 euros. For full-time study, tuition fees are paid in installments of 1,200 euros per semester for 3 semesters, while for part-time study, tuition fees are paid in installments of 720 euros per semester for 5 semesters. In the case of extending the program by additional semesters, up to a maximum of two semesters, an additional fee of 330 euros per semester is required.
Students whose individual income, if they have the same income, and the family disposable equivalent income do not independently exceed 100% of the national median disposable equivalent income, and the family 70%, are exempt from tuition fees, based on the most recently published data of (EL.STAT.). However, the number of exempt students cannot exceed 30% of the total number of students admitted to the program. If the number of eligible students exceeds 30%, the selection is based on the ranking of students starting from those with the lowest income.
In addition, outstanding graduate students may receive a scholarship from the program's resources. Good full-time graduate students also have the opportunity for paid work in funded research projects led by faculty members teaching in the program. However, the availability of scholarships and work opportunities depends on the program's finances and the availability and terms of the projects, respectively.
The MSc in SCML program is primarily taught by the faculty members of the Division of Production Organization and Industrial Management in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The main instructors are as follows:
Konstantinos Ampountolas (M.Eng. '99 Prod. Eng. & Mgmt., M.Sc. '02 Oper. Res., and Ph.D. '09 Prod. Eng. & Mgmt., Technical University of Crete, Greece) is Associate Professor of Automatic Control Systems in Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly in 2019, Professor Ampountolas served as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom (2013-2019). During his time there, he also held the position of Deputy Director at the Urban Big Data Centre (2018-2019). He has been a Research Fellow at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland (2012-2013), a Visiting Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, USA (2011), and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Center for Research and Technological Development (IPTL/CEPETAL) in Greece (2010). He has also served as a Short-Term Visiting Professor at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Israel (2014), Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2016), and the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil (2016, 2019). His research interests include automatic control, optimization theory, and their applications in traffic and transportation systems, as well as large-scale networks.
Thanasis Ziliaskopoulos (M.Eng. '84 Chem. Eng., Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; M.Sc. '91 Oper. Res., Dep. Mech. Eng., and Ph.D. '91 Transp. Syst., Dep. Civ. Eng., The University of Texas at Austin, USA) is a Professor of Production/Transportation Systems Optimization in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly in 2003, Professor Ziliaskopoulos served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Ohio State University, USA (1994-1996) and as an Assistant Professor and Luis Burger Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Northwestern University, USA (1996-2003). Simultaneously, he worked at the Transportation Research Center and collaborated with the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at the same university. During the period of 2010-2015, he held the position of President and CEO of TRAINOSE, and from 2013-2015, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Logistics Association. Since 2020, he has been the President of the Council for Development and Competitiveness of the Supply Chain, and since 2021 he was appointed President, Non-Executive Member, of the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations S.A. (HCAP). His research interests include equilibrium and optimization models for networks, optimal routing algorithms, information technologies, control systems, logistics, traffic management, and freight transportation routing.
George Kozanidis (M.Eng. '97 Mech. Eng., University of Thessaly, Greece; M.Sc. '98 Manuf. Eng., Boston University, USA; MSc Oper. Res. '02 and Ph.D. '02 Industr. Eng., Northeastern University, USA) is an Associate Professor of Production/Service Systems Optimization Methods in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly in 2007, Professor Kozanidis taught courses as an Adjunct Lecturer in the same department (2004-2007). For the last nine years, he has been collaborating with a software development company, responsible for creating specialized optimization algorithms (column generation, branch and price, assignment, etc.) aimed at efficiently managing airline operations (crew scheduling, fleet assignment, flight scheduling, tail assignment, commercial planning, vacation planning, preferential bidding, disruption handling, etc.). His research interests are focused on the field of operational research/administrative science. His research activity is centered on the development of specialized optimization algorithms for the analysis and management of transportation and supply chain systems.
George Liberopoulos (B.S. '85 and M.Eng. '86 Mech. Eng., Cornell University, USA; Ph.D. '93 Manuf. Eng., Boston University, USA) is a Professor of Stochastic Methods in Production Management and the Director of the Production Organization Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering 1996, Professor Liberopoulos taught as a Lecturer in the Department of Manufacturing Engineering (now Mechanical Engineering) at Boston University, USA (1993) and as a Research Fellow at the Laboratoire de Méthodologie et Architecture des Systèmes Informatiques of CNRS and Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6) (now Laboratoire d'Informatique (LIP6) of CNRS and Sorbonne Université), France (1994-1996). During 2011-2017 he was a member of the Board of Commissioners of Greece's Regulatory Authority for Railways. His research interests focus on the design, planning, and control of production-inventory systems, supply chain management, and energy procurement planning. During 2018-2022, he was the Director of the MSc in SCML program.
Dimitrios G. Pandelis (M.Eng. Naval Eng. '87, National Technical University of Athens, Greece; M.Sc. '90 and Ph.D. '94, Electr. Eng., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, USA) is a Professor of Stochastic Models of Operational Research in Industrial Management in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2008, Professor Pandelis worked as a Research Engineer at ERIM International (1994-2000) and Tellabs Operations (2000-2001), USA, and as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly (2003-2008). His research activity focuses on applied probability theory and stochastic control, with applications to flexible manufacturing systems, scheduling and resource allocation problems, and supply chain management.
Georgios Sacharidis (M.Eng. '01 Eng. Prod. & Mgmt., Technical University of Crete; DEA '02 Industr. Eng. & Logistics and Ph.D. '06 Oper. Res & Prod. Manag., Ecole Centrale Paris, France) is an Associate Professor of Operations Research Methods in Industrial Management and Director of Systems Optimization Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2013, Professor Saharidis worked as a Researcher at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA (2007-2010) and as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly (2010-2013). His research activity focuses on the development of mathematical programming standards with applications in the organization and management of transport systems with the aim of protecting the environment.
Stamatis Andrianopoulos (M.Eng. Electr. Eng., National Technical University of Athens, Greece) is the Founder and of the business consulting company PLANNING S.A.
With over 25 years of experience, Stamatis Andrianopoulos has prepared more than 400 Supply Chain and general business reorganization projects in Greece and abroad. He has extensive teaching experience in Supply Chain and Logistics as a Scientific Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens. He has also lectured in numerous seminars and conferences. His seminars have been attended by more than 25,000 Greek business executives.
Stelios Koukoumialos (M.Eng. '97 and Ph.D. '03, Mech. Eng., University of Thessaly, Greece) is a Professor of Operations Research and Operations Management in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Thessaly.
Before joining the faculty of the Department of Business Administration in 2020, Professor Koukoumialos worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of the Aegean (2004-2009) and in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly (2009-2019) and he served as an Assistant Professor and Associate Professor in the Department of Business Administration at the Technical Educational Institute of Larisa (2004-2019). His research interests focus on the stochastic analysis and simulation of production/inventory systems and supply chains.
Thanasis Lois (B.S. '91, Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; M.Sc. '05 and Ph.D. '10 Mech. Eng., University of Thessaly, Greece) is a Research Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly.
Dr. Lois works in the IT Department of the University of Thessaly and as a research affiliate in the Systems Optimization Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly. From 2010 to 2015, he was an IT consultant for TRAINOSE in optimization matters. He specializes in the development of static and real-time transport algorithms and has extensive experience in computer programming and software development, particularly in the integration of algorithms for multimodal transportation systems and web technologies.
In addition to the above instructors, students of the MSc in SCML program have the opportunity to attend seminars by experienced professionals in modern practices and technologies of SCML.
The language of instruction is Greek or English, and the bibliography is almost exclusively in English. MSc Theses can be written in Greek or English.
The courses of the MSc in SCML program are taught in the afternoon hours and are supported by distance learning methods to accommodate working people and students living outside of Volos. The program utilizes the existing infrastructure of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, including the Systems Optimization and Production Management laboratories in the Division of Production Organization and Industrial Management.
