The Global Automotive Purchasing and Supply Chain Network – also known as GAPSCN – began as a collaborative venture between AIAG and Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business to develop talent and innovation in global automotive purchasing and supply chain management. Today, industry professionals partner with academic faculty to provide community college, undergraduate, graduate and adult continuing education students with “real world” automotive case studies, best practices, knowledge assessments and standards.

The program’s key components include the following:

Auto Industry Certificate in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Program: This multi-discipline non-degree certificate program consists of more than twenty classroom meetings, divided into winter and fall sessions; in its entirety, the program provides participants with an in depth understanding of supply chain management topics and issues in the context of the global vehicle industry.

Executive Program for “Tomorrow’s Leaders Today”: The five day automotive industry-focused Global Purchasing and Supply Chain Management program provides purchasing and supply chain executives with the knowledge and leadership skills necessary to significantly improve company purchasing and supply chain performance.

Junior College Outreach Program: The GAPSCN program features tie-ins to junior college SCM programs across the southeast region of Michigan.

WSU-GM Supply Chain Competition: Designed to generate interest in careers in automotive supply chain management, this event matches some of the best and brightest supply chain students from more than 20 universities around the globe in a case competition.

Study Abroad: WSU’s supply chain program includes four automotive and supply chain management-oriented study abroad programs in Brazil, Poland, Italy, and China. The program also offers a concentrated two week purchasing course in Wuihan, China.

Applied Research: The Research Network brings together industry and academia to enhance global automotive purchasing and supply chain talent development, strategy, operations and competitiveness through innovation and implementation. Potential areas of research include (but are not limited to) Future Purchasing & Supply Chain Strategy Trends; Impact of Technology Innovation; Transparency and Risk; Globalization; Quality Management; Corporate Responsibility; and Environmental Stewardship

In addition to the above, the program has also expanded on an outreach basis to several universities in automotive-related regions of the world such as China; Poland; Ontario, Canada; and Alabama.

Interested in learning more? Take a moment to visit our GAPSCN program pages here.

(Note: As part of the GAPSCN program, our next Auto Industry Certificate in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Program kicks off in just a few months on February 6, 2020. Click here to learn more, or download the brochure to share with others in your network!)