Gathering experts, scholars, and industry leaders, an in-depth exchange on transport and supply chain resilience and digital transformation unfolded at UIC.
The second Conference on Transport and Supply Chain Resilience and Digital Transformation, hosted by UIC's Faculty of Business and Management (FBM), International Centre for Resilient Supply Chains, and Behavioural and Decision Research Lab, was successfully held from 30 October to 1 November 2024.
Group photo
The conference, with the theme of "Smart Supply Chain: Achieving Resilience and Optimisation in Uncertain Times", explored how to build a resilient supply chain system in the digital era and promote the resilience and sustainable development of global supply chains. It contained sessions included the Young Scholar Forum, New Centre and Lab Unveiling Ceremony, Plenary Sessions to Parallel Sessions, "Meet the Editors" Session and more.
Unveiling two labs with new techs
UIC officially unveiled its state-of-the-art centre and lab during the conference: the International Centre for Resilient Supply Chains (ICRSC), and the Behavioural and Decision Research Lab. The two research institutes have been equipped with cutting-edge technologies like Positioning tracking system, Microsoft HoloLens, the Oculus Quest Pro, and eye trackers.
The Honorary Chair of the Conference and UIC Provost , Prof Patrick Chau, said, "at UIC, we're not just about theory – we're about putting our knowledge into practice." He pointed out that UIC serves as a nexus for industry, academia, and research collaboration, promoting the practical application of scholars' research findings. The unveiling of the new centre and lab opened the door to new collaborations and breakthroughs.
The Honorary Chair of the second Conference on Transport and Supply Chain Resilience and Digital Transformation and UIC Provost Prof Patrick Chau
The Chair of the Conference and Dean of FBM Prof Adolf Ng, stated that the establishment of the centre and lab marked a new chapter for the Faculty to foster vigorous and collaborative research. As the Director of the International Centre for Resilient Supply Chains, he called on scholars and industry experts present to explore the possibilities of cooperation, particularly in the area of resilient supply chains and digital transformation.
The Chair of the Conference and Dean of UIC FBM Prof Adolf Ng
Prof Li Zhihua, Director of Behavioural and Decision Research Lab emphasised that the lab is to be constructed as a hub for innovative research and interdisciplinary collaboration, where experts from various fields can join forces to address real-world challenges. Besides supporting academic research, it will also provide students with practical opportunities to gain valuable experience and work alongside faculty on research projects.
Director of Behavioural and Decision Research Lab Prof Li Zhihua
Prof Adolf Ng, Prof Patrick Chau, Associate Vice President (Student Development) Prof Stella Cho (second from right) and Prof Li Zhihua at the unveiling ceremony
Sparking insights through heated discussions
The conference generated new thoughts by inviting experts and scholars to share their latest research and insights in the supply chain resilience and digital transformation.
In the keynote speech session, Prof Maggie Dong from the University of New South Wales focused on "Manufacturing and Supply Chain Strategies for Surviving Global Crises", discussing how to utilise smart technologies to enhance supply chain resilience and flexibility in crisis and uncertain environments.
Prof Maggie Dong
Mr Shane Li, President and CEO of Red Leaf Capital, elaborated on how strategic investments and initiatives can enhance supply chain resilience when facing global uncertainty, focusing on the critical role of investments in supply chain resilience and proposing several specific strategies to enhance supply chain stability.
Mr Shane Li
Dr James Wang, Research Director of Bay Area Hong Kong Centre/Belt & Road Hong Kong Centre, explored the far-reaching impacts of the current geopolitics on the global supply chain, highlighting the issue of supply chain stability in the context of globalisation.
Dr James Wang
Prof Hua Guowei from Beijing Jiaotong University focused on the construction of security and stability of industrial chains and supply chains, putting forward a series of innovative methods to improve the risk-resistant capability of each link in the supply chain, including strengthening the information security and ensuring the security of the supply chain through technological methods in case of unexpected situations. He also suggested strengthening information security to improve the stability of supply chains and ensure business continuity in unexpected situations.
Prof Hua Guowei
Prof Yang Zaili from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK shared his insights on the resilience assessment of container shipping networks. He explored strategies for addressing container shipping network challenges at different spatial scales and demonstrated how resilience in container transport can be optimised through a multi-level perspective.
Prof Yang Zaili
Prof Gordon Wilmsmeier from Kühne Logistics University in Germany and Kühne Professorial Chair in Logistics at the School of Management, Universidad de los Andes at Bogotá, Colombia, discussed adaptive strategies for ports in the face of extreme climatic conditions. He emphasised the importance and effective methods of port adaptive planning in the context of climate change.
Prof Gordon Wilmsmeier
Mr Gao Chen, President of Sinotrans Korea Shipping Co., Ltd and the Chairman of China Chamber of Commerce in the Republic of Korea, introduced the "1+1>11" sea-rail intermodal transport plan implemented by Sinotrans Group between China, Japan, and South Korea. He showcased an innovative model for a more efficient regional logistics network through China. Mr Gao highlighted that this plan not only connects Japan, South Korea, and China but also enhances cross-border logistics efficiency through intermodal transport, bringing positive impacts to the regional economy.
Mr Gao Chen
In the "Meet the Editors" session, editors from internationally renowned journals shared the trends and highlights of the latest research, and the submission requirements of each journal, providing participants with guidance for future publications. The conference also set up a number of parallel sessions to further explore the cutting-edge topics of supply chain resilience and digital transformation.
This conference not only connected academia and industry, but also drew a blueprint for the future development of smart supply chains. UIC and its partners aimed to leverage this conference to advance the adoption and application of intelligent supply chains on a global scale, and to provide scientific and practical solutions to the uncertainties of the future.
From FST and MPRO
Photos provided by FBM
Editor: Cecilia Yu, Deen He
