Logistics and supply chain management are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. This is leading to a growing demand for skilled professionals, who are essential to the competitiveness and success of businesses. This was highlighted during the pandemic and in the context of current geopolitical risks.

The Erasmus+ PARASOLS project, coordinated by TU Dortmund University, aims to support European industries by identifying key skills and developing an innovative learning concept comprising four main areas:

• Resilient supply chains

• Digital technologies in Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM)

• Sustainability in the supply chain (SSCM)

• Supply chain finance.

The project includes a literature review on skill requirements, a labour market analysis in participating countries to identify necessary skills, and a benchmarking study on innovative university courses in LSCM.

Empirical validation will be carried out through interviews and workshops with academics and industry professionals. Based on stakeholder needs, an educational framework incorporating didactic, organisational, and technical concepts will be designed. Teaching materials will then be implemented and evaluated at partner universities in collaboration with an advisory committee.

The main expected outcomes of the project are as follows:

1. An empirically validated skills framework focusing on emerging areas of LSCM, such as sustainability, resilience, artificial intelligence, and supply chain finance.

1. An integrated educational framework for developing and assessing key skills.

1. Modular online courses (4–8 ECTS), supported by an AI Learning Copilot to facilitate personalised learning;

1. Serious educational games will be developed to improve problem solving and decision making.

The Department of Management Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano is a project partner, with Federico Caniato acting as the scientific director and Camilla Borsani of the research team.