The supply chain profession has never demanded more of its professionals. Tariff volatility, AI-driven disruption, mounting pressure on margins, and relentless shifts in global trade patterns mean that yesterday’s skill set may not be enough to navigate tomorrow’s challenges. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to invest in your career, this fall is it.
The University of Tennessee’s Global Supply Chain Institute (GSCI) is opening fall registration for its suite of Supply Chain Management Academies—five focused, flexible, online programs designed to help working professionals sharpen skills in leadership, finance, planning, procurement, and technology.
A Curriculum Built for the Challenges You Face Today
SCM Academies aren’t generic professional development opportunities. They draw on the same industry-leading curriculum that powers UT’s top-ranked graduate supply chain program, delivered by renowned faculty who work closely with more than 75 corporate partners to ensure the skills are applicable to your organization the week you learn them.
Participants also bring the curriculum to life through peer collaboration with supply chain professionals across industries and functions—building a network that extends well beyond the program itself.
“One of the most consistent pieces of feedback we hear is that participants didn’t expect how much they’d gain from their peers,” said Izabela VanDeest, assistant director of the supply chain management division of Graduate & Executive Education. “The SCM Academies attract serious professionals from many different backgrounds, and the networks they form become part of the value long after the program ends.”
Whether you’re a manager looking to move into a director role, a director sharpening your strategic edge, or a high-potential employee your organization is preparing for greater responsibility, there’s a program tailored to your current stage and your goals.
The Five SCM Academies
SCM Leadership Academy | 14 Weeks | Starts August 7
The flagship of GSCI’s academy offerings, the SCM Leadership Academy is a 14-week program that prepares managers, directors, and key stakeholders to become effective supply chain leaders. Delivered fully online in an asynchronous format, it covers everything from building a personal leadership philosophy and designing high-performing teams to navigating global supply chains, managing risk, and translating strategy into action.
Participants engage with Haslam’s end-to-end curriculum, build meaningful peer connections, and receive a University of Tennessee certification along with Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Better still, completing the Leadership Academy earns three credit hours toward UT’s online Master of Science in Supply Chain Management—making it a meaningful step toward a full graduate degree if you wish to pursue one.
Cost: $4,995 | Fall 2026 dates: August 7–November 15
SCM Finance Academy | 8 Weeks | Starts September 8
Supply chain professionals who can read a balance sheet and connect their decisions to the bottom line have a powerful advantage. The SCM Finance Academy is an intensive eight-week program that builds the financial literacy you need to interpret results, make strategic decisions, and demonstrate the value supply chain creates for your organization.
Topics include income statements, cash flow analysis, return on assets using the Strategic Profit Model, working capital optimization, financial metrics for supplier selection and performance measurement, and the capital planning process. No prior finance background is required.
Cost: $3,995 | Fall 2026 dates: September 8–November 8
SCM Future-Ready Procurement Academy | 8 Weeks | Starts September 15
Procurement has evolved from a transactional function into a strategic driver of organizational value. The SCM Future-Ready Procurement Academy equips managers and directors with a strong foundation in end-to-end integrated procurement—with a forward-looking emphasis on the digital transformation, generative AI, and geopolitical shifts reshaping how organizations source and manage suppliers.
Over eight weeks, participants explore total value optimization, cross-functional integration, data governance and analytics, talent pipeline management, and strategies to mitigate supply disruptions. Faculty-led live sessions bring real-world challenges into the classroom, and peer collaboration ensures you leave with both a network and new skills.
Cost: $3,995 | Fall 2026 dates: September 15–November 15
SCM Technology Academy | 8 Weeks | Starts September 22
Artificial intelligence, digital twins, autonomous robotics, control towers, and IoT—the technologies transforming supply chains are advancing faster than most organizations can absorb them. The SCM Technology Academy equips supply chain professionals with the strategic fluency to evaluate, govern, and lead technology investments rather than simply react to them.
The curriculum spans AI types (generative, agentic, and physical AI), digital orchestration, automation and robotics strategy, IT governance, vendor management, change leadership, and supply chain cybersecurity. Participants leave with the ability to build a board-ready business case for technology investment and a personal action plan for applying what they’ve learned.
Cost: $3,995 | Fall 2026 dates: September 22–November 22
SCM Planning Academy | 8 Weeks | Returning Spring 2027
For professionals focused on end-to-end supply chain planning, the SCM Planning Academy offers a comprehensive view of how world-class organizations align demand sensing, materials management, transportation, and supply integration to create value. The Planning Academy is scheduled to return in Spring 2027—so if planning is your priority, now is the time to join the waitlist.
The eight-week program blends asynchronous and synchronous learning, covering E2E planning frameworks, data management and digital decision-making tools, demand-supply integration, and positioning yourself for the future of planning. Email [email protected] to join the waitlist.
Cost: $3,995 | Returning: Spring 2027
One Program or a Path to a Master’s Degree
Each academy stands on its own as a valuable credential, but they’re designed to work together as a progressive suite. The SCM Leadership Academy carries three transferable credit hours toward UT’s online Master of Science in Supply Chain Management—making it a meaningful first step toward a full graduate degree if you choose to pursue one. The other academies, while focused professional credentials in their own right, are designed to complement and build on one another as your career advances.
Discounts of 15% are available to employees of GSCI partner companies.
Fall Registration Is Now Open
Whether you’re ready to step into a larger leadership role, strengthen your financial acumen, future-proof your procurement strategy, harness AI and automation, or master end-to-end planning, GSCI’s SCM Academies offer a flexible, high-impact path forward without stepping away from your current job.
Fall cohorts fill quickly. Register now at tiny.utk.edu/SCMregister to secure your spot and take the next step in your supply chain career.
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