Logistics students represent university at Belgium conference
Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:33:00 BST
A group of 2nd year Logistics students were invited to attend the 2017 International Sustainability Logistics Conference hosted by the University of Ghent (HoGhent), Belgium.
The objective of the conference was to engage students from around Europe with the topic of sustainability and its impact on the physical internet, society and the environment. Students were required to prepare an informative presentation on a sustainable topic of their choice, as well as participating in activities such as engaging with workshops related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and creating a unique business concept related to social enterprise.
During the trip, students visited the Port of Ghent, the second largest port in Belgium, and Stora Enso, a global recycling company, where they were given a presentation on the history and development of each organisation. This was alongside a guided tour around their current operations.
The Port of Ghent is strategically located in Western Europe and is a centre for the production and distribution of different types of goods and products both inbound and outbound. For example, Volvo Cars have chosen Ghent as the location for their passenger car and truck assembly plants.
Stora Enso is a €9.8b (EBIT) turnover recycling company that makes a variety of wood based products, from paper, cardboard packaging, wood products to biomaterials. The company thrives on innovation and sustainably reusing waste and turning it into everyday products.
Key learning points for the students which were:
- The development of presentation skills when delivering to a large multicultural audience.
- The importance of networking, collaboration and sharing knowledge by young professionals from different international backgrounds.
- The impact governments, companies and societies are having on the environment and how the youth of today need to act to improve sustainability.
- How significant entrepreneurship is for students, stimulating their minds to cultivate new logistical perspectives, particularly focussed on the sustainable development goals set out by the United Nations.
As well as being an extremely useful educational trip, students were given the opportunity to visit and experience new cultures and socialise with foreign students from countries including Germany, Finland the Netherlands, France and Belgium. Group evening meals and activities such as a guided tour around Ghent and sampling local bars enabled students to build new relationships with other young professionals from the exciting and dynamic Supply Chain sector.
