The UK university will, as part of the agreement, join MIT’s SCALE Network, which supports multiple education programs in centres in Colombia, Luxembourg, Spain and China.

An MSc program in supply chain – the flagship program –  will see students be able to spend time at both MIT and Loughborough, and an MIT certificate will be offered to students who complete the course, as well as the usual Loughborough degree.

The UK Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence Centre – the name for the UK’s version of the core building block of any SCALE Network membership – will focus on “research and working with industry”, Loughborough said.

Usually for MIT’s SCALE Network centres, expertise and collaboration on research projects focus on “real-world supply chain and logistics challenges”.

“The centre will be the go-to place to develop the next generation of supply chain talent,” noted the dean for Loughborough Business School Jan Godsell.

“The UK is a small island, so we have to think very carefully about how we ensure everybody in our country has access to the things that they need, when they need them, at a price that they can afford,” she explained.

I am particularly excited at the opportunity for our students to experience the unique MIT culture

Ken Lee, Loughborough Business School

The existing centres in Zaragoza, Bogotá, Luxembourg and Ningbo each carry their own version of a graduate program in supply chain management, resulting in a “comprehensive curriculum” along with MIT’s input.

“I am particularly excited at the opportunity for our students to experience the unique MIT culture and interact with inspiring faculty and research during their time in Boston,” added Ken Lee, Loughborough Business School’s director of postgraduate studies.

The director of MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics, from which the original SCALE Network stemmed, said the UK institution’s “exceptional research capabilities and commitment to supply chain innovation” made it a “valuable addition” to the pack.

“Their expertise will enhance our collective ability to create cutting-edge solutions and educate the next generation of supply chain leaders,” said Yossi Sheffi.