OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE - MAR 26, 2025
Press Release: FOR FIATA-GSCC
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The Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC) proudly celebrated the winners of the 2nd annual Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition at an award ceremony held on March 19 in Geneva, Switzerland. The winning teams received their awards at the FIATA HQ meeting, showing their commitment to advancing sustainability and aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals. This prestigious competition, co-organized by GSCC, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and International Center for Transport Diplomacy, and endorsed by UN Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport brought together 84 teams from six continents to develop innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions to real-world supply chain challenges.
Supported by the generous sponsorship of TWTH Express Inc., a global leader in logistics services, the top six teams overall were invited to Geneva for the award ceremony. As part of their program, the students had the exclusive opportunity to visit the International Trade Centre – the joint agency of the United Nations and WTO, Geneva Airport cargo operations, Geneva Freeport. Additionally, the students participated in FIATA HQ meeting sessions where they had the invaluable opportunity to network with FIATA leadership and industry professionals, gaining deeper insights into the logistics and freight forwarding sectors.
GSCC President Mr. Chung Tam highlighted the impact of the experience:
"Through their participation in the FIATA HQ Meeting and educational site visits, the students gained a much deeper appreciation for the diverse and exciting career paths in the global supply chain industry. This was a life-changing experience that they will not soon forget!"
The top honors of the competition were awarded to the team from the University of South Carolina (USA), followed by teams from Tsinghua University (China), Tongji University (China), the University of Maryland (USA), the Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), and Iran University of Science and Technology.
FIATA President Mr. Turgut Erkeskin emphasized the importance of investing in young professionals, stating:
“The logistics industry is facing a growing talent gap, and FIATA is committed to bridging this by investing in education, training, and opportunities for young professionals. Competition like this one not only showcase young talent but also help connect students with industry leaders, encouraging fresh perspectives and career pathways in freight forwarding.”
By fostering collaboration between academia and industry, the competition helps bridge the skills gap and ensures a vibrant and sustainable future for the sector.
TWTH Express Vice President Mr. Chen Jun stated in his award speech:
"Having worked in the industry for 25 years, I deeply understand the diversity and comprehensive skills required for supply chain professionals. Beyond providing funding, we will also offer industry
experience and operational case studies to support the growth of young students. TWTH will continue to support the Global Sustainable Supply Chain Student Competition and participate in nurturing future leaders in supply chain sustainability to drive the industry's long-term development."
The Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition has demonstrated the immense potential of young talent in driving industry transformation, bringing fresh perspectives to some of the most pressing challenges in global supply chains. The competition will be a key component of UN Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport’s contribution to the UN decade of sustainable transport.
Looking to the future, GSCC plans to expand the competition’s reach in the coming years, building on the success of this year’s event. The competition’s insights will also inform the development of a global curriculum focused on sustainable supply chain management, ensuring that future professionals are well-equipped to tackle pressing environmental and logistical challenges.
We sincerely thank TWTH Express Co., Ltd. for their generous sponsorship of the TWTH-Global Sustainable Supply Chain Student Competition Award. This award supports winning teams' participation in the awards ceremony in Geneva and furthers the study of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, TWTH will collaborate with competition organizers and universities to launch a global youth career development program in sustainable supply chain management, highlighting its leadership in fostering youth-led innovation.
For more information on how to get involved in the next competition or learn more about sustainable supply chain management, please visit https://www.supplychainsdg.org/.
About Global Supply Chain Classroom
The Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC) is an initiative established with the support of top logistics and supply chain universities from around the world. The vision for GSCC is to be the leading knowledge platform for global educators, professionals and academic institutions to improve the quality of supply chain services through education at the college and university level. We have been developing education programs and facilitating academic cooperation between developed and developing economies in the field of logistics and supply chain management for over 20 years. The GSCC platform allows the global academic community to collaborate on research to solve complex problems facing the global supply chain and international issues like sustainability, application of technology, food logistics, multimodal transport, and international trade facilitation.
About TWTH Express
Founded in 2009 in Guangzhou, China, TWTH Express Co., Ltd., under Mr. Xie Shengwei’s leadership, has become a leader in last-mile delivery through strategic investments and innovative services such as TRANSPAC FREIGHT SERVICE and TRANSPACIFIC ECOMMERCE SOLUTION. The company’s technology-driven approach integrates digitalization, AI, and big data to optimize supply chains and enhance customer experiences.
Mr. Xie established the "TWTH-Global Sustainable Supply Chain Student Competition Award" to inspire talent and promote global collaboration in logistics. He stated, “At TWTH, we believe sustainable development and education are the cornerstones of a thriving global supply chain.”
Through this support, TWTH aims to inspire the next generation of supply chain professionals to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for global logistics challenges.
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE - JAN 24, 2024
Press Release: FOR FIATA-GSCC
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Geneva, January 23 2024 – FIATA and the GSCC have announced a visionary Memorandum of Understanding to jointly promote sustainability and education in the global freight forwarding and logistics sector with a focus on making UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) a reality and promoting the GSCC Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition
The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and the Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC) have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which they express their mutual commitment to promoting sustainability and education in the global freight forwarding and logistics sector. The MoU affirms the commitment of both organizations to ignite change through capacity building and educational programs, targeting low- and middle-income territories that do not have access to established supply chain education programs at the university level.
Under the MoU, FIATA and GSCC commit to cooperating on the GSCC Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition, an initiative bringing together university students to address supply chain challenges, actively involving young talents and developing sustainable solutions to shape the industry’s future. This competition organised by the GSCC and ICTD, has been endorsed by the UN Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport. The dynamic collaboration between the two organizations is envisaged to foster innovation, creativity, and sustainable practices for future supply chain industry leaders.
FIATA and the GSCC previously worked together on the highly successful webinar series on ‘Market Structure and Maritime Competition’ held in Spring 2022, with three sessions bringing together high-level panelists representing national and international commissions and organizations. The third and final session was entitled “Moving Forward: What are the Solutions to the Maritime Crisis”, featuring Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye of the Federal Maritime Commission, Dr. Wang Wei, Director General of the Institute of Market Economy, Development Research Centre of the State Council, China, Mr. Henrik Morch, Director for Transport, Post and other services of the European Commission, and Ms. Raissa-Julie Ada Allogo, Senior Policy Transport Officer of the African Union Commission. The success of this collaboration laid the groundwork for their current venture, demonstrating their shared dedication to shaping the future of global logistics and promoting ESG jointly.
FIATA’s Director General Stéphane Graber said of the MoU "As we stand at the crossroads of globalization and sustainability, FIATA is thrilled to join forces with the Global Supply Chain Classroom in a commitment to making the UN SDGs a reality”. He continued “The collaboration signifies a pivotal moment, where education becomes a force for change, and sustainability takes center stage in shaping the future of global trade. Together, we aim to empower the next generation of supply chain leaders, ensuring that no corner of the world is left behind."
GSCC President Chung Tam stated, 'We are very excited about the opportunity to further our collaboration with FIATA. Global supply chains have evolved rapidly to become knowledge-based, technology-driven, and sustainability-focused. Access to quality supply chain education programs is more critical now than ever. By working with FIATA members and member national associations, we will leverage GSCC’s experience and resources to deliver university-level educational programs, preparing the next generation of supply chain leaders to succeed in our diverse, globalized economy.”
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE - MAY 10, 2023
Press Release: GSCC Presents Education Events In Support of World Sustainable Transport Day at the 3rd Meeting of the United Nations Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport
On May 10, 2023, the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations co-chaired the 3rd Meeting of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport (GFST) in a virtual format.
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The meeting was attended by the Permanent Representatives to the UN of the member countries of the Group, , the Executive Secretary of the International Center for Transport Diplomacy (ICTD) Mr. Igor Rounov, the Secretary General of the SLOCAT Partnership on Sustainable Low-Carbon Transport Ms. Maruxa Cardama, the President of the Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC) Mr. Chung Tam.
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Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva informed on the results of work of the group, outlined the upcoming preparations for the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on sustainable transport in November 2023, and the upcoming consideration by the UN General Assembly on May 16, 2023 of the draft resolution “World Sustainable Transport Day” submitted by Turkmenistan.
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China’s Permanent Mission to the UN Ambassador Dai Bing expressed support for the World Sustainable Transport Day and Advisory Council initiatives.
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Mr. Runov presented a draft concept of the Advisory Council to the GFST, the main role of which will be to prepare, at the request of the members of GFST, reviews and analytics on transport development and international cooperation in this field.
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Mr. Tam presented GSCC’s proposal for a series of education events with the theme “Creating Sustainable Global Supply Chains through Education” to celebrate the World Sustainable Transport Day. These events include faculty development seminars on Incorporating Sustainability into Supply Chain Management Education in a Global Context which will bring about a set of recommendations to be presented to GFST, and Classroom Observation sessions for international educators to watch leading professors in supply chain sustainability. In addition, students events which includes the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition, and a program for students to learn about sustainability practices of leading multinational businesses. A video compilation of the student presentations and business leaders’ comments on the importance of educating youth in sustainable practices will be presented to GFST during World Sustainable Transport Day.
Mr. Tam closed by conveying GSCC’s support for the proposed World Sustainable Transport Day and GFST’s education initiatives.
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE - JAN 19, 2023
Press Release: United Nations Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport - New York
The Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition welcomes the endorsement from the UN Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport.
On December 5, 2022 the United Nations Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport held its second meeting in New York. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Ata Eyeberdyev, the Council of the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations. During the meeting, Dr. Igor Runov, Executive Secretary of the International Centre of Transport Diplomacy (ICTD), informed participants about two most recent groundbreaking initiatives - the launch of the Global Transit Document (GTrD) and International Student Competition on Sustainability of supply chains.
Mr. Chung Tam, President of the Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC) then informed participants about the “Global Supply Chain Sustainability Student Contest”. The following summary regarding this initiative has been written into UN Group of Friends Meeting Minutes and distributed to the Member States.
"This Competition invites graduate and undergraduate students from universities around the World to develop innovative solutions to real – world challenges facing the global supply chain. The Competition was announced in October 2022 in Dushanbe and will take place during the 2023-2024 academic years.
The motto of Student Contest is ”Think Global, Act Local”. The aim – to produce an action-oriented and practical plan for implementation of innovative sustainable supply chain solutions in home region and to demonstrate its application and impact on a global scale. Three stages of Contest includes: (1) Teams will submit a project proposal with the problem analysis and solutions; (2) Finalists from each region will present their projects virtually to a judging panel. Regional winners will be selected by the judges; (3) Regional winner will present their solutions to an International Judge’s Panel (remotely) and the overall winner will be selected. Finalists will have opportunity to present projects to angel investors. The participants of the meeting were invited to transmit the information about the Contest among interested universities and invite them to join the global competition in 2023/2024 along with other 100 universities in all parts of the world."
The Secretariat of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport followed with a letter to the ambassadors asking them to invite their universities to participate in the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition.
“ In line with our proactive and practical approach, we kindly ask you to forward attached invitations to appropriate universities in your country and invite them to take part in an international student Contest on sustainability of the global supply chains in 2023/2024.”
The organizing committee of the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition greatly appreciates the support of the UN Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport. It brings global recognition to the competition and important role of the youth to take action on supply chain sustainability. We look forward to working together to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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For more information, please contact us at info@supplychainSDG.org
About the UN Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport:
The United Nations Group of Friends for Sustainable Transport was launched on July 6, 2022 by the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations at a meeting attended by more than 90 representatives of UN member states. The overall aim was to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable transport, and exchange of ideas and views, best practices etc. on national and regional levels.
The first-ever United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference was convened in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on November 26, 2016 by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon. The conference brought together key stakeholders from Governments, the UN system and other international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to engage in a dialogue that emphasizes the integrated and cross-cutting nature of sustainable transport and its multiples roles in supporting the achievement of the SDGs. All modes of transport – road, rail, aviation, ferry and maritime – were addressed. The outcome was the “Ashgabat Statement” supporting cleaner, greener transportation – from local transit systems to worldwide multimodal networks was endorsed by more than 50 countries.
The second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference, themed on “Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Development”, took place from October 14 to 16 2021 in Beijing, China. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that “The next nine years must see a global shift towards renewable energy. Sustainable transport is central to that transformation”. An important outcome of the conference was the “Beijing Statement of the Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference“ which underpins the importance of transport for achieving the global climate and sustainable development goals and calls for more and enhanced international cooperation, as well as capacity-building and knowledge exchange among countries to advance sustainable transport technology and innovation and learn from good practices.