Introduction

The African Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Operations in Resource Management and Food Supply (ACESO) is a multidisciplinary centre that promotes training and research in sustainable operations, resource management and food supply. The aim of the centre is to support the establishment of two new Master's programmes in Business Research (MBR) and Sustainable Management and Operations (SMO). There will be a special scholarship programme for PhD students, regular summer schools, inter-university exchange programmes and guest lectures.

Vision, mission and objectives of the Centre

The centre will be called the African Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Operations in Resource Management and Food Supply (ACESO). The centre will be a regional centre. Currently, the centre is affiliated with the University of Nairobi and Kuehne Logistics University.

Vision

The ACESO will be a world-class centre of excellence that addresses development needs through innovation, knowledge creation and application in sustainable operations, logistics, agribusiness, rural entrepreneurship and food supply chain.

Mission statement

"To provide quality training, research and extension services in sustainable operations, logistics, agribusiness and food supply chain for the development of Tanzania and the rest of the world.

The objectives of the ACESO

1. The University of Dar es Salaam, Kuehne Logistics University and the Kuehne Foundation will collaborate in building higher education capacity, especially for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes;
2. The University of Dar es Salaam, the Kuehne Logistics University and the Kuehne Foundation will cooperate in strengthening the faculty, e.g. through joint teaching and research projects as well as doctoral opportunities;
3. Identify, mutually support and co-host East Africa conferences that support the mandate of both parties;
4. Support field research and case study development for teaching related to mutual areas of interest in East Africa;
5. Support internship opportunities at national and international levels to promote careers in the areas of interest;
6. Jointly review and develop leadership programmes;
7. Joint support and delivery of workshops and seminars related to the mutual areas of interest; and
8. Development of networking systems and opportunities to ensure a higher level of integration of academic research and with practitioners in the East Africa region.

Furthermore ACESO will support multidisciplinary research activities in the areas of agribusiness, rural entrepreneurship, food supply chain and logistics.
The initial thematic areas of research are therefore:

1. Sustainability agenda in agribusiness, food supply and operations
2. Digitalisation, value chain and food supply and agribusiness
3. Internet of Things, agribusiness, warehouse management and supply chains
4. Trade logistics and competitiveness of non-traditional crops
5. Corporate governance for sustainable resource management with a focus on food supply
6. Sustainable and resilient health logistics and supply chains
7. Food security, nutrition and rural entrepreneurship
8. Mapping the agricultural value chain in search of efficient agribusiness and food supply
9. Humanitarian logistics and supply chain visibility
10. Rethinking food supply systems, logistics and rural entrepreneurship

Products and services

The centre shall support the establishment of:

1. Master of Business Research
2. Master of Sustainable Operations
3. Three PhD students through scholarships

Other activities:

1. Conducting Train-The-Trainers for professors and lecturers
2. Conducting specific seminars in agribusiness, ICT and logistics and supply chain
3. Co-organising and running conferences and symposia
Facilitate access to electronic resources (e.g. eBooks, online library, e-journals)

Research and Consultancy

Among others the centre shall undertake research and consultancies in the following areas

1. Agribusiness and food supply
2. Supply sourcing strategies and market analysis
3. Procurement expenditure analysis
4. Supply chain resilience (SCR) Modelling
5. Logistics & Supply Chain Management
6. Sustainable products and workflows
7. Sustainable Supply Chains
8. Food Agricultural supply chains
9. Technology and Innovation
10. Information and ICT (IoT) use in food supply
11. Return on Investment (ROI) Modelling
12. Digitalization of agricultural supply chains
13. Food supply chain costs management

Capacity Strengthening in Such areas as:

1. Agribusiness, and food supply
2. Operation and resource management
3. Logistics & Supply Chain Management
4. Information and ICT in food supply
5. Negotiation techniques
6. Big data analysis with emphasis on food supply
7. Scientific writing in sustainable management
8. Food/Agricultural Supply chain costs management
9. Humanitarian supply chain simulator(HSCS)

Delivery of Train-The-Trainers for professors and lecturers

1. Creation or improvement of food/ agricultural Logistics Lab
2. Conducting specific seminars in Agribusiness, ICT, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management by local and international guests
3. Co-organization and delivery of conferences and symposiums
4. Facilitation of access to electronic resources (e.g., eBooks, online library, e-journals)
5. Participation in international conferences and summer Schools
6. Networking activities and events

Structure and staffing of the centre

The CSO collaborates with several universities outside Tanzania. Initially, there is cooperation with the following universities: the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the Kuehne Logistics University (KLU) and the University of Nairobi (UoN). Figure 1 shows the organisational structure of the centre.