Earlier this week, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that its dual-degree MBA/MS Engineering program will now go by the name Leaders for Global Operations (LGO), reflecting the program’s understanding of manufacturing as it encompasses all aspects of operations.
The joint-degree program, founded 20 years ago under the name Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) by MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT School of Engineering, will strive to maintain the number one ranking it has received year over year from U.S. News & World Report while also building on its strengths in production and logistics.
“Our understanding of manufacturing has broadened considerably to include critical operations across the entire supply chain,” David Simchi-Levi, LGO co-director from the MIT School of Engineering, said in a statement. “We believe operations excellence to be a core element of national competitiveness and the basis for advancement in developing countries,” he continued.
The decision to change the program’s name and mission comes after an extensive research process involving all the program’s constituencies. In approving the changes, the LGO Governing Board also called for the program to address operations challenges beyond traditional manufacturing sectors to include supply chain retailers such as Amazon.com and Inditex, S.A. (Zara).
The joint program will continue to offer MIT students a unique opportunity to perform cutting-edge research at the intersection of engineering and management. “LGO students take courses that examine the impact of globalization; conduct international internships; participate in international plant treks; and interact with students and faculty from other universities who are part of our global community,” said Thomas Allen, LGO co-director from MIT Sloan, in a statement.
The program also will continue to feature valuable partnerships with industry, in which companies sponsor student internships, select research topics, host plant tours, contribute to curricula design and ultimately recruit LGO gradates.
“LGO partner companies are deeply engaged in all facets of the program,” said Donald B. Rosenfield, director of the LGO Program and a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan. Partner companies include ABB Ltd., Amazon.com, Amgen Inc., The Boeing Company, Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., General Motors Corporation, Genzyme Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Intel Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Novartis AG, Raytheon Company, Spirit AeroSystems and United Technologies Corporation.
To learn more about the MIT Leaders for Global Operations program, click here.
