Program Director Veit Kohnhauser on the Evolution of the LEM and SCM Master's Programs at the Steyr Campus

The Future of Graduate Studies in Logistics: Program Director Veit Kohnhauser Discusses the Evolution of LEM and SCM at the Steyr Campus

Beginning in Fall 2026, the Master's program in Logistics Engineering and Management (LEM) will no longer admit a new cohort. For students who are already enrolled, nothing changes: they will continue their studies as planned and complete the program according to their current curriculum.

In this interview, Program Director Veit Kohnhauser explains the reasons behind this strategic transition, the strengths of LEM that will carry forward into the newly designed Master's in Supply Chain Management (SCM+), and the new opportunities the program will offer future students.

• Why is the graduate program in logistics at the Steyr Campus being redesigned now?

Logistics and Supply Chain Management have changed dramatically in recent years. Today's supply chains are global, highly complex networks operating under constant pressure from geopolitical instability, climate-related disruptions, evolving regulations, and rapid technological change. Organizations are increasingly looking for strategic leaders—professionals who can design and transform global value networks while combining data expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to drive organizational change.

The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Steyr Campus, is responding to these developments with a clear strategy: concentrating all expertise and resources into a single master's program in Supply Chain Management that is intentionally designed around leadership.

• What are the advantages of combining the two master's programs?

Running two parallel programs with overlapping audiences and similar content creates challenges for everyone involved. Prospective students may find it difficult to distinguish between the programs, faculty face duplicated efforts, and industry partners receive graduates with less clearly differentiated profiles.

SCM+ brings together the strengths of both programs. It combines the engineering methods and quantitative analytical expertise of LEM with the strategic management perspective of SCM. The result is a more focused graduate program with stronger leadership development, a clearer academic identity, and a more competitive position within Austria and internationally.

• What does the discontinuation of new LEM admissions mean for current students?

Current students will experience no changes. They will continue their studies according to their existing curriculum and complete the program as originally planned.

The decision applies only to new admissions beginning in Fall 2026.

• Which strengths of the current LEM curriculum will remain part of the new program?

The defining strengths of LEM—including systems engineering, engineering-based problem solving, quantitative methods, and its early emphasis on digitalization, artificial intelligence, and machine learning—will remain central to the new SCM+ curriculum.

These competencies will continue to be taught through courses such as Supply Chain Intelligence and Digital Supply Chain Processes & Technologies, where they are integrated into a broader strategic leadership framework that allows students to apply technical expertise to organizational decision-making and transformation.
 

• What future-focused topics define SCM+, and what opportunities will graduates have?

The new SCM+ master's program places an even stronger emphasis on leadership development and strategic decision-making while building on the business foundations established in our undergraduate programs. At the same time, students can pursue advanced technical specialization in Supply Chain Data Analytics.

Graduates will develop the ability to design and lead supply chains strategically—from understanding global supply networks and applying data-driven corporate supply chain management to practicing evidence-based leadership and driving supply chain transformation through artificial intelligence and digital technologies.