Smith to Bolster Supply Chain Management Curriculum

The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business will team with Resilinc Inc., a leading provider of supply chain resiliency solutions, to strengthen its MS in Supply Chain Management program.

Smith will integrate its new partner's cloud-based supply chain risk management software, Resilinc SupplyIntel, into the program, while the company's chief technology officer, Sumit Vakil becomes a senior research fellow at the Supply Chain Management Center.

Vakil will advise the center's executive committee and teach graduate-level courses as part of his five-year appointment. 

The new software is designed to provide a holistic understanding of supply chain risk and resiliency practices and techniques used by leading companies. Students can experience hands-on, team-based exposure to the challenge of managing supply chain risks in support of key corporate objectives.

"The ability to systematically approach and better manage global supply chain risk has led to the concept of the Resilient Enterprise -- an increasingly important strategic and operational concept in a post-911/post-financial crisis world," said Sandor Boyson, co-director of the Supply Chain Management Center. "After evaluating the various supply chain risk solution providers in the market today, our Center and academic department chose Resilinc for its leadership in developing resiliency solutions that enable supply chain professionals in a growing number of major global enterprises to gain visibility across multiple tiers of their complex, global supply chains."

Boyson is co-author of "X-SCM: The New Science of X-Treme Supply Chain Management," with Smith School colleagues Thomas Corsi and Lisa Harrington. The book is sponsored by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Boyson and his faculty colleagues also have drawn a No. 2 ranking worldwide in research in the discipline of supply chain management and logistics, according to the International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management.

The Office of Smith IT is supporting this initiative. "From an IT perspective, we believe the partnership between Resilinc and the Smith School will be of tremendous value to our students and help prepare them to tackle real-world supply chain challenges using the most advanced software available," said Holly Mann, director of information technology at Smith.

Vakil said Resilinc "is excited to be partnered with Smith's Supply Chain Management Center to educate future supply chain business leaders in risk management best practices."

"Our expertise and industry-leading supply chain resiliency techniques and technologies perfectly complement the Smith School's comprehensive Resilient Enterprise curriculum -- helping to provide a truly unique educational experience," he said.

Read more about the MS in Supply Chain Management program.