Inbound Logistics | February 2022

Through the MITx MicroMasters Program in Supply Chain Management, thousands of people across the globe can take courses from the school’s supply chain faculty. Students who complete ve of these courses, usually over about 18 months, and score well on the comprehensive nal exam, can apply to MIT’s accelerated ve-month master’s degree through the blended supply chain management program. If accepted, these students join the other students in the master’s in supply chain program on campus for the last ve months of their program, and graduate as a single, combined cohort. On average, the “blended” students have about seven years of experience and tend to be older than those in the residential program, Saenz says. Some courses last just a few weeks. During the SCALE Connect Conference held each January, students spend three weeks at MIT, earning a Certicate in Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the MIT Global Scale Network. This certicate is in addition to the master’s in supply chain they’ll receive from their respective institutions. And while classes still include lectures and tests, many programs today require students to work with companies to address real-world supply chain challenges. These exercises allow students to apply classroom theory to actual problems and develop the “ability to resolve ambiguous situations when the problem itself is not that clear,” Mirchandani says. REMOTE LEARNINGHERE TOSTAY While many schools had already been offering online courses, most ramped up their offerings during the pandemic. That shift appears permanent. Over the past few years, the idea of remote instruction as “lesser than” in-person classes has diminished, David says. Indeed, the benets of some remote instruction have become clear. For instance, when students are presented

Before the pandemic, many schools offered virtual learning opportunities. But post- pandemic, most schools significantly ramped up their remote course offerings and that shift appears permanent.

in-person class often results in a poor virtual experience, as it’s difcult for the professor to address both the remote and in-person audience. It may be acceptable in some cases, such as providing the video to students who need to miss a few classes because they’re sick or quarantining, but it’s rarely ideal, Huscroft says. Yet the cost of quality remote-learning tools may strain some school budgets. PREPARING FOR AMORE STRATEGIC ROLE While the current supply chain disruptions are making life more difcult for many individuals and businesses, they’re also demonstrating the importance of the supply chain function. As strong supply chains are increasingly viewed as providing organizations with competitive advantages, and not simply as cost centers, more students in supply chain programs will nd a receptive job market when they graduate. Supply chain programs are adjusting so they can prepare their graduates to lead organizations through an ever- changing roster of challenges. n

with challenging material in an online course, they can replay and review the session until they understand it. That’s especially helpful at the graduate level, when students may come with a wide variety of experience and knowledge. Another benet: Online courses can help students, and especially undergraduates, remain on track for graduation even if they take a semester abroad or work at an internship. Virtual learning also allows schools to expand the number of students they can accommodate, Huscroft says. Instead of 30 students in a single classroom, a professor may be able to reach several times that number online. This also can help accommodate the schedules of nontraditional students. At the same time, in-person classes likely will continue to play a major role. Many students, and especially those in undergraduate programs, want the experience of in-person programs. Another obstacle can be the investment required to access the technology that will allow for a worthwhile virtual learning experience. For instance, simply recording or streaming a professor conducting an

50 Inbound Logistics • February 2022