The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific

Bringing Together Academia and Industry: A One-Day Workshop on Multi-Modal Freight Flows in Indonesia
Facilitated by Dr. Giuseppe Timperio of NUS-TLIAP

Moving freight from point A to point B is far more complex than it may appear. Indonesia exemplifies this challenge: an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, with industry clusters and population concentrated on Java, alongside highly imbalanced trade flows across regions. Navigating this intricate web of connectivity and evaluating the many modal transport options is no simple task.

Against this backdrop, The Logistics Institute – Asia Pacific and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta convened scholars from Indonesia, Singapore, and Austria, together with senior industry leaders, for a one-day workshop on multimodal freight flows in Indonesia. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Giuseppe Timperio of NUS-TLIAP, who guided discussions on the opportunities and challenges of strengthening freight connectivity across Indonesia’s diverse transport landscape.

The workshop featured a distinguished lineup of speakers who contributed valuable perspectives to the discussion. Ronald Nugroho (Cikarang Dry Port) highlighted the role of dry port terminals in easing congestion at coastal ports. Dr. Nofrisel, SE, MM, CSLP, ESLog (PT Sembada Bina Pratama/Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia) advocated for a road-to-rail modal shift on Java. Adithya Prabowo (Samudera Indonesia) explored the opportunities presented by short-sea shipping, a mode that remains underutilized despite Indonesia’s unique geography. Seng Lee Goh (PT New Priok Container Terminal One – NPCT1) emphasized that the effectiveness of a seaport depends greatly on its inland connectivity. Shanmugam Thangavelu (Accenture) provided a global cargo perspective, underscoring the growing importance of data in shaping Indonesia’s logistics future. Prof. Markus Gerschberger (Supply Chain Intelligence Institute Austria – ASCII) shared insights into global freight trends, while Prof. Kuncoro Harto Widodo (Universitas Gadjah Mada) brought the discussion back to the realities of Indonesia’s logistics landscape. Dhanendrakumar Gunasekaran (Value Allies Software Pvt Ltd) demonstrated how technology integration can create value across supply chains, and Dr. Thomy S (Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang) highlighted how cost reduction and emissions reduction can be pursued simultaneously.

Special appreciation goes to Dr. dr. Supriyatiningsih Wenang and Dr. Robert de Souza for their leadership and commitment in bringing the workshop together. Thanks are also due to Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, particularly Dede Muniroh, as well as the teams at The Logistics Institute – Asia Pacific for making this collaboration possible.

The consensus was clear: one day was not enough. The conversations initiated during the workshop have laid the groundwork for future collaboration and continued exploration of Indonesia’s freight and logistics challenges.

Indonesia is not alone in facing these complexities. Every ASEAN country grapples with its own version of the logistics puzzle, and the way Indonesia addresses these challenges will have implications for the broader region.

Photo credit: Dr. Giuseppe Timperio (NUS-TLIAP).

Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management — a two-week Summer School Programme

Week 1 of 2

Photos from Week 1 of LI5203: Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management — a two-week Summer School Programme conducted with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia, held during NUS Special Term this June.

Week 1 was led by Prof Dr Robert de Souza, Executive Director, The Logistics Institute – Asia Pacific, National University of Singapore, (NUS-TLIAP), bringing together participants for an immersive learning experience focused on global perspectives in logistics and supply chain management.

The week was filled with engaging discussions, collaborative activities, and meaningful exchanges across institutions and cultures. Beyond academic learning, the programme provided opportunities to build connections, gain fresh perspectives, and deepen appreciation of how global challenges can be addressed through partnership and shared learning.

As the programme continues into Week 2, participants will continue their learning journey under the leadership of A/Prof Kok Choon Tan, Deputy Director, Centre for Maritime Studies, National University of Singapore.

Looking forward to another exciting week of learning, exchange, and discovery.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in making this programme possible.

In the context of a public health crisis, the "where" is just as important as the "what"—infrastructure location can be the difference between a contained outbreak and a systemic collapse.

Strengthening our ongoing partnership with National University of Singapore, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Centre for Infectious Disease Emergency Response (CIDER), Dr. Giuseppe Timperio, Ph.D. from The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific, NUS-TLIAP was invited to conduct a lecture session for the IDE5004 module on 20th April 2026.

His session on 'Choosing Sites for Infrastructure' equipped MSc IDE students with the analytical frameworks needed to apply data-driven logistics to high-stakes emergency response where the students engaged in a hands-on activity using anyLogistix, focusing on Green Field Analysis (GFA) in an infectious disease emergency, identifying the optimal "center of gravity" for new facilities—such as triage centers, vaccine distribution hubs, or cold-chain storage—is critical to minimizing lead times and maximizing life-saving reach.

6th - 7th April 2026
Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The National University of Singapore – The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific (TLIAP) team, led by Dr Robert de Souza, returned to Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) and RS PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Hospital for a focused two-day engagement to advance our ongoing collaboration.

Day 1 began with a coordination meeting with Dr Mohammad Rizki Pratama, UMY to prepare for the upcoming training session, followed by a productive working dinner with Associate Professor Dr. dr. Supriyatiningsih Wenang, M.Kes., Sp.OG (Dr Upi) and team.

Day 2 commenced with a progress update across the three key collaboration tracks: research, serious gaming, and education. This was followed by a dedicated session on serious games, featuring an introductory presentation by Dr Robert de Souza and Dr Mohammad Rizki Pratama, mini lectures on hospital logistics by Dr. Giuseppe Timperio, Ph.D. and Dr. firman pribadi, and a didactic walkthrough of the game by Mr. Za'aba Abdul Rahim.

The highlight of the day was the live game session using NUS-TLIAP’s Command & Control (Quiz Version), involving 70 medical professionals from three Muhammadiyah hospitals within the UMY network. The session was jointly facilitated by Mr. Za'aba Abdul Rahim, Dr. Mohammad Rizki Pratama, Dr. Giuseppe Timperio, Ph.D. and Dr. Vishnu Singh. It was a highly successful session, with participants reporting a meaningful and insightful learning experience.

The visit concluded with breakout discussions between the respective activity leads and their UMY counterparts, aligning next steps for each workstream.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the UMY team for hosting the NUS-TLIAP team and for their continued partnership and commitment to this collaboration.

28th-30th January 2026
Yogyakarta, Indonesia

National University of Singapore - The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific (TLIAP), team, led by Dr Robert de Souza, was honored to visit RS PKU Muhammadiyah Gamping Yogyakarta Hospital and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) for meaningful three-day engagement.

This marks the start of our Phase 1 collaboration, focusing on AI-driven innovations in hospital operations and research.

Day 1 began with a site visit to the Comprehensive Cancer Center at PKU Muhammadiyah Gamping Hospital, hosted by the Hospital Director and team.
This was followed by a reception and discussion, concluding with a warm dinner hosted by the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Commercialization, Associate Professor Dr. dr. Supriyatiningsih Wenang, M.Kes., Sp.OG (Dr. Upi).

Day 2 focused on deepening collaboration through three key working group activities: research (Dr Vishnu Singh), training programmes (Dr Giuseppe Timperio, Ph.D.), and serious gaming (Za'aba Abdul Rahim).
The workshop, opened by Dr Upi and Dr Robert de Souza, highlighted the strategic importance of this collaboration and the exciting potential of AI-driven innovations in hospital operations and research.

Day 3 concluded with an expert lecture by Dr Robert de Souza and Dr Giuseppe Timperio, Ph.D. on “Emergency Healthcare Logistics vs Commercial Logistics”, which saw strong engagement and thoughtful discussions with participants.

We are grateful for the warm hospitality and open exchange, and look forward to strengthening this partnership through continued collaboration and shared initiatives.

We are excited to share our latest whitepaper under the The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific's Innovative Learning through Serious Games Series entitled :

Designing a Branching Decision Serious Game for Acute Hospital Pandemic Surge Management: The Command & Control - Quiz Version

You may find the downloadable copy of this paper fromhttps://tliap.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Vol26-Mar-SG_Designing-a-Branching-Decision-Serious-Game.pdf

Watch the game's video trailer here:
Quiz Version: https://youtu.be/A91ABE4941E?si=erViPtiLTmN9hsfi

The AFLAS Awards 2026, hosted by Asia Cargo News, will be held in Shanghai on June 24, 2026.

The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific is proud once again to be nominated for Best Educational Course Provider category.

Show your support by voting us here: https://lnkd.in/e8PpwJ8c

For firms in China who may have problems accessing the voting link, an alternative link is here: https://lnkd.in/gVcTFtzA

Hurry before the vote closes on 07 May 2026!

Thank you for your continuous support!

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