Qalinca-Labs is a research unit which belongs to the Faculty of Engineering Sciences (Ecole Polytechnique de Bruxelles) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Qalinca Labs research, teaching and expertise spans from transport systems modelling and management to supply chain management including logistics optimisation and quality management.
Qalinca Labs R&D activities are built around five axes:
- Development, through modelling and simulation, of advanced methodologies and tools for a better understanding of the key factors of any nature which impact the structure, integration, sustainability and performance of logistics, transport & mobility processes;
- Integration of ideas from the latest research with best practices to highlight the innovative and proactive ways in which organizations can leverage the supply chain to create competitive edge and capture the most value, with a special emphasis on sustainable cross-functional integration that is crucial to drive logistics, supply chain and transport excellence;
- Aid to the design and implementation of logistics, supply chain, transport and mobility solutions: innovative (i-solutions), intelligent (e-solutions), secure (s-solutions) and sustainable (“green”-solutions);
- Development of advanced systems for benchmarking and auditing the quality and performance of logistics, transport and supply chain processes;
- Dissemination of knowledge through an active contribution to the implementation worldwide of excellence and knowledge centres (training, research, expertise) in logistics, supply chain, transport & mobility management.
Qalinca Labs has five main research fields:
- Intermodal Transport Systems
- Urban Transport and Logistics
- Waterborne Transport and Logistics
- Bio and Agri-Business Logistics
- Production Logistics and Quality Systems
Qalinca-Labs co-operates closely private and institutional clients on a local, regional and international level in a series of projects and consulting contracts focusing on sustainable logistics, performance indicators, evaluation methods and decision-making tools.
Qalinca-Labs and its staff have participated in a variety of projects in the field of supply chain management and transport systems. Recent examples include: EU large R&D Projects SELIS, AIMS, FREIGHTWISE, MARNIS, CREATING, COMPRIS, MANPORIVERS (with China), INDRIS, TRAPIST, FCCP and national Projects PULSE, STS, TRASILUX, TEMPTRACK, CHOUD’BXL, URBANWISE, LOGISTICA.
International collaboration
Beside regular university teachings (Logistics, Transport and Supply Chain management), Qalinca Labs co-operates closely with private and institutional clients on a local, regional and international level in a series of executive training programs and masters in Vietnam, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal, Ecuador, Tunisia, etc.
Qalinca-Labs staff are regularly invited as speakers or chairman for international conference series in Supply Chain Management and Transport Systems (e.g Transport Research Board (TRB), World Conference on Transport Research (WCTR), NETLOG Brazil, etc.). Qalinca-Labs has also developed strong research cooperation with the world's leading research centers, including University of California at Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mines ParisTech, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and others