The Sabancı University School of Management signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Zaragoza MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program, one of the best institutions globally in the logistics sector.  The signing ceremony for the project that is expected to transform logistics education in Turkey took place at the Sabancı University campus on Tuesday, April 26, 2011.

The ceremony was hosted by Sabancı University President Professor A. Nihat Berker and the Dean of the School of Management, Professor Nakiye Boyacıgiller, and was attended by Sabancı University Board of Trustees Chairperson Güler Sabancı and Zaragoza Logistics Center Executive Director, Professor Santiago Kraiselburd.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sabancı University School of Management Dean Professor Nakiye Boyacıgiller said that the only cooperation partner of the Center in the Southeast Europe and Middle East regions, where Turkey is located, is Sabancı University, and explained the content of the joint initiative.  Boyacıgiller said, “The Zaragoza Logistics Center chose Sabancı University to expand its double major programs and partner with a school in our region.  Considering the significance and renown of the program in the logistics structures in Europe, the contribution of MIT to the Zaragoza Logistics Center, and Sabancı School of Management’s priority to create a co-brand with MIT, we decided that this joint initiative would benefit all involved.”

The Sabancı School of Management had signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the MIT Sloan School of Management in January.  The new joint initiative with the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program constitutes another important step towards the internationalization objectives of the Sabancı School of Management.

Santiago Kraiselburd: “The joint initiative is an important step in Turkey’s further integration with the European logistics sector”

Prof. Santiago Kraiselburd, the Executive Director of the Zaragoza Logistics Center, gave a speech titled “Creating Value in Supply Chain Management” at the ceremony.  Explaining the interdisciplinary nature of supply chain management, Kraiselburd outlined the value added by supply chain and inventory management to companies.  Santiago Kraiselburd underlined the growing need for supply chains with the increase of trade volumes, explaining how supply chains are disrupted by political and economic developments, natural disaster and other factors.  Kraiselburd illustrated his points with examples from real-life business models.

Santiago Kraiselburd answered questions from the floor, and said that the joint initiative was an important step in Turkey’s further integration with the European logistics sector.

About the Initiative:

Starting with the 2011-2012 academic year, the Sabancı University School of Management will offer a new graduate program made possible with the cooperation agreement signed with the MIT-Zaragoza Logistics Center in Zaragoza, Spain.  This offering merges the Sabancı MBA program with the Master of Engineering in Logistics & Supply Chain Management (ZLOG) Program, which can be completed in two years for a double graduate degree.

Applicants to the Sabancı University MBA – MIT Zaragoza ZLOG program must apply to both programs simultaneously.  Applicants in Turkey need only apply to Sabancı MBA if they indicate in their statements of purpose that they are also interested in the ZLOG program, upon which their application will be forwarded to the Zaragoza Logistics Center.

Sabancı Executive MBA (EMBA) applicants can also indicate their wish to apply to the ZLOG program in their statements of purpose.  If admitted, these students will take the intensive EMBA curriculum to complete the EMBA program in one year, attending the ZLOG program in the second year.
Pursuant to the cooperation agreement, admissions to the MIT-Zaragoza ZLOG program will be handled by the Zaragoza Logistics Center.

Students enrolled to the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program will complete the Sabancı Executive MBA program at Sabancı University.  However, they will be presented with the opportunity to take some courses from the Sabancı MBA program to finish the program in three semesters.

About the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program:

The MIT-Zaragoza Master of Engineering in Logistics & Supply Chain Management (ZLOG) Program offers the unique combination of a world-class supply chain degree taught in a truly global setting. The ZLOG program is built on the top-ranked curriculum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Nine months of challenging coursework, cutting edge research, and industry interaction provide ZLOG graduates with the problem solving and leadership skills that companies seek in an increasingly complex and dynamic marketplace.
Based in Zaragoza, Spain, ZLOG is part of the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program – a unique research and education partnership between academia, industry and government that develops and disseminates innovative supply chain concepts within one of the largest and most successful logistics parks in Europe. While there, students have the opportunity to interact and learn from faculty, researchers and fellow students from around the globe. The strong combination of international experience and supply chain expertise provides ZLOG graduates with an opportunity to make an impact in a wide range of industries worldwide.