Lancaster University`s 6* rated Management School was a founding member of SAP`s University Alliance Program, and uses SAP products in five major postgraduate programmes.
With high calibre entrants attracted worldwide by the Management School’s high international reputation and ranking, there was a need to give exposure to the business models and business software that the School’s graduates would encounter when they took on important management positions. Working with the SAP University Alliance provided the perfect opportunity to do this.
In all of the courses where SAP software is used, the managerial benefits of Business Process Integration are demonstrated through exposure to particular SAP products.
In keeping with the requirements of a leading research-focused university, the SAP teaching does not stand alone, but is integrated with a critical appreciation of the role of enterprise software in general, the issues affecting its successful implementation, and the social and organisational impacts.
Student feedback from all the SAP teaching has been extremely positive, not least because students quickly realise the value of SAP training when it comes to finding a job. Each year graduates from the programmes secure jobs with companies that rely heavily on SAP technologies and with the major consultancy groups that assist with SAP implementations.
SAP teaching is now firmly integrated into:
- MSc E-Business & Innovation
The Lancaster Masters in E-Business & Innovation (EBIN) is a unique multidisciplinary programme designed to help students understand and shape innovation in e-business and e-commerce brought about by Internet, mobile, and multimedia technologies. Through collaborations with partners such as SAP, IBM and Microsoft the EBIN programme provides students with direct access to industry relevant skills and expertise.
- MSc in Operational Research and Management Science
This programme, covering all major areas of OR & MS is designed for students who will work in business analytics, decision support, industrial engineering, operational research and management science.
- MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
In this programme the focus is on the application of management science to produce high quality supply chain and logistics management. The emphasis is upon practical use of the ideas, the analytical aspects of logistics problems as well as the fundamentals of supply chain management.
- MSc in Management Science and Marketing Analytics
This programme brings the application of management science to support marketing decision making and planning. With an emphasis on the practical analytical aspects of marketing problems, the programme meets the large demand for business and market analysts with good modelling skills, particularly in retailing and marketing.
- MSc Information Technology, Management & Organisational Change (ITMOC)
Designed for graduates of any degree discipline who have an interest in the impact of technology on organisational change. Working with partners such as Accenture, the ITMOC programme aims to produce students with the necessary knowledge and skills to become effective IT managers and consultants. The programme looks at the development, management, organisation and use of information technology within and between organisations.
Students at Lancaster University recognise the importance of SAP skills:
"The opportunity to gain hands-on experience with an ERP system whilst at university is not something many students get."
"It's great for employability."
"It provides a different dimension to understanding e-business."
"It gives us experience with a system that we will come into contact with in our careers."
"People with knowledge of SAP are in high demand, having this on our CVs will really add value."
Speaking about SAP's collaboration with the EBIN programme, Martin Gollogly, SAP's UK Head of University Alliances, said: "Lancaster is a valuable and innovative member of the program. We welcome them on board and look forward to many years of exciting collaboration. Through the SAP EBIN scholarship we will also sponsor one Lancaster University student on the MSc in E-Business & Innovation (EBIN)."
Lancaster University is also one of the pilot universities for SAP's TERP10 programme through which selected partner Universities will be able to offer the SAP TERP10 Business Process Integration Certification.