Vision: "The path to sustainable and technology-supported logistics ecosystems for the industry of the future"

The research and teaching activities of the Research Group for Logistics and Quality Management (LQM) and the Chair of Engineering Management at TU Wien are dedicated to shaping the future of logistics through data-driven, technology-enabled, and hyper-connected ecosystems - such as the Physical Internet. Our work integrates the triple transition - digitalisation, sustainability and human-centricity- into the ongoing development of logistics fundamentals, especially in production and distribution logistics. Through our teaching activities, we prepare the next generation of experts to lead the shift siloed thinking to an open, sustainable logistics ecosystem.

In line with TU Wien's vision "TU Wien - Where we dare to reason. The creative urban tech university. Unlimited", we contribute through: 
i) Research and education on digital technologies, industrial artificial intelligence (IAI), and extended reality (XR), specifically in logistics, quality- and supply chain management. As part of the Research Unit Production and Maintenance Management (PIM), we jointly explore the entire production, maintenance and logistics systems.  
ii) Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on logistics and supply chain management 
iii) Promoting future-orientated thinking in logistics and supply chain management 
iv) Raising public awareness

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 4 - Quality education
• SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth
• SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• SDG 12 - Sustainable consumption and production
• SDG 13 - Climate action
• SDG 17 - Partnerships to achieve the goals

Research strategy

Our research strategy aligns with TU Wien’s focal areas "Sustainable and Low Emission Mobility" and "Visual Computing and Human-Centered Technology" , as well as the scope of the Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, in particular "Energy, Mobility, Transport and Environment" and "Digital Engineering Innovation". It is tailored to meet the evolving needs of companies in the logistics, transport, and manufacturing – particularly in Austria and neighbouring countries.
 

The overarching goal is to investigate, design, and implement future-proof models for data-driven and technology-enabled logistics and supply chain management along the entire value and supply chain. This includes the synthesis of four dimensions, namely i) physical systems, ii) cyber systems, iii) people and organisation, and iv) enabling technologies (e.g. Industrial AI, digital twins). 
 

A key focus is on the contribution of data-driven approaches to the optimisation of hyper-networked logistics systems, especially through their systematic design, development, evaluation, validation and their successful transfer and integration into existing processes. Including digital technologies and data-driven approaches for interconnected logistics systems and the development of logistic-centred ICT infrastructures essential for synchromodal logistics. 
 

Our integrated approach helps industry actors – from manufacturing to mobility – to adapt to demographic environmental, societal change, building toward a human-centred, sustainable ecosystem.
 

What we do

• Fundamental research into the optimisation of logistics processes, quality and maintenance planning and optimisation as well as asset management, enriched by scientific trends in cyber-physical production systems (CPPS), AI, semantic technology, and natural language processing (NLP).
• Applied research into data-driven logistics and quality management and maintenance with regard to sustainability, stimulated by emerging industrial trends mainly "triple transition" (Digital, Sustainable, Human-centric).
• Practice-oriented research in the context of learning factories, focusing on work-based learning for production and logistics enterprises, especially SMEs.
   

Teaching and Continuous Education

Teaching at TU Wien

Our identity as a research university means that we build our reputation through our research. TU Wien combines basic and applied research and research-oriented teaching. Thus, the content of the teaching we offer is driven from research findings. 
Our graduates and scientists contribute to society and the economy through their obtained competences and strong relationships with knowledge and technology transfer. In this way, members of TU Wien ensure the international competitiveness of the Austrian economy and stimulate the innovative strength of Austria as a research location.
 

TU Wien Academy for Continuing Education

Since 2005, the Academy for Continuing Education (ACE) has been the central contact for postgraduate education at TU Wien. We bridge the gap between research and business and combine scientific know-how with practical applicability. In this way, we refine the individual skills and sustainably increase the professional and private perspectives of our participants.

The research group LQM is involved in two professional MBAs in terms of content and organization:

• Professional MBA Advanced Technologies & Global Leadership (Cooperation with Caltech)
• Professional MBA Future Supply Chain Management
   

Who we work with?

• Scientists from the fields of production, logistics and supply chain management as well as operations and asset management
• Industrial Data Scientists
• Logistics and supply chain experts from the industry
• Maintenance experts from the industry
• Experts for the planning and implementation of learning factories
   

How do we establish cooperation with academic and industrial partners?

• Through joint national and international research projects and third-party funding (e.g. FWF, FFG, Horizon Europe, etc.)
• By supervising academic thesis and conducting industry-funded studies
• Involvement in alliances, co-operation initiatives and associations (e.g. Logistics Research Austria, ETP ALICE)
• Co-organizing training programs and academic conferences with national and global partners (e.g. WING, TU Austria, CIRP, IFAC; IEEE and IALF)