CURRICULUM FOR DIPLOMA IN FREIGHT FORWARDING AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Introduction

The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), based in Switzerland, had granted approval for Nigeria through the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to run International Diploma programmes in logistics and freight forwarding. The Institute of Maritime Studies (IMS), University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, has been accredited by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) with the mandate to award Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management. This curriculum contains details of the programme.

Philosophy

The Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management seeks to provide participants with both foundational principles and practical knowledge in the broad field of Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management. The programme will focus on domestic and international principles, trends and practices in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management. As shown in the modules of study, the programme covers important areas, such as: Fundamentals of Freight Forwarding, Custom Procedures in Freight Forwarding, ICT in Freight Forwarding, Law and Insurance, Freight Safety and Security, Warehousing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Air Transport, International Rail Transport, International Road Transport, Sea and Inland Waterways, Multimodal Transport and Dangerous Goods Management. The programme is based on the course credit system, which offers participants a broad-based and qualitative education.

Aim/Objectives

The goal of the programme lies in the careful combination of courses at teaching and research levels that seek to produce participants possessing core knowledge of the principles and practice of Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management. It aims at producing persons that are readily able to use international standards in resolving issues and adding values to Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management business.

Rationale/ Justification

The programme is designed to: (i) provide training for persons, organisations and associations operating the Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management Business in Nigeria; (ii) provide consultancy and advisory services directed towards adding value to Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management system; (iii) undertake studies and research in all the aspects of Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management; (iv) provide information services that are relevant to the field of Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management.

Admission Requirements

In order to be eligible for admission to the Programme, a candidate must possess the following obtained at not more than two sittings: (a) West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC) or the General Certificate in Education (G.C.E.) or National Examinations Council (NECO) with five credit passes including English Language and Mathematics; (b) Certificate in Freight Forwarding from any accredited institution; (c) Mature candidate with at least five (5) years industry experience may be considered as added advantage. COURSE CONTENTS

First Semester Courses

Course Code	Course Title	Unit	Status
IMF101	Fundamentals of Freight Forwarding	3	C
IMF103	Information and Communication Technologies in Freight Forwarding	3	C
IMF105	Customs Planning and Procedures	3	C
IMF107	Freight Safety and Security	3	C
IMF109	Dangerous Goods Management	3	C
IMF111	Law and Insurance	3	C
IMF113	Multimodal Transport	3	C
IMF115	Sociology of Freight Forwarding	2	E

Second Semester Courses

Course Code	Course Title	Unit	Status
IMF102	Air Transport	3	C
IMF104	International Road Transport	3	C
IMF106	International Rail Transport	3	C
IMF108	Warehousing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management	3	C
IMF110	Sea and Inland Waterways	3	C
IMF112	Field Principles and Internship	3	C
IMF114	Basic Principles of Economics	2	E
IMF199	Research Project	4	C

Requirements for the Award of Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management

To qualify for the award of Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management, a candidate must pass a minimum of 44 units of courses including all compulsory courses and one elective course.

Programme Duration

The duration of the programme is two semesters. Each semester runs for a period of 12 weeks of lectures followed by two weeks of examination and two weeks for break. Internship runs for a period of 12 weeks. In total, the programme is expected to be concluded within maximum of 12 calendar months.

Course Description

IMF101: Fundamentals of Freight Forwarding

The subject matter of this course includes International Freight Forwarder and the Freight Business, International Trade, Organization of the Forwarding Company, Financial Requirements, Intercontinental Transport and General Knowledge of Transport Related Geography, FIATA Documents and Forms, Special Transport Services and Packing Requirements. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to understand the legal position of a freight forwarder, his/her functions and the general structure and processes in forwarding. The interrelations between trade and forwarding should be clear to them. They should know the different FIATA documents and their applications.

IMF102: Air Transport

The subject matter of this course includes General Conditions of Air Carriage, Most Used Aircrafts and Air Pallets, Airway Bills and Accompanying Documents, Calculation of Airfreight, and Geography in Air Transport. Learning Outcomes: Students should be proficient with the basic regulations for Air Transport. They should be able to explain the ground handling and the documentation procedures of air cargo transport. Also, they should demonstrate familiarity with airfreight pricing with examples of calculation.

IMF103: Information and Communication Technologies in Freight Forwarding

The subject matter of this course includes basic understanding of computers and its environment, role of information technologies in forwarding, data storage and database management, principles of networking and data sharing, telecommunication and its applications, electronic data interchange (EDI) and value-added network (VAN), Barcoding and its application, Internet and web-based technology, E-commerce, Web-based applications and E- marketplace, Security, Electronic funds transfer and E-payment. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to appreciate the fundamentals and essence of the use of technologies in freight forwarding. Such technologies that are applicable in forwarding, either in form of applications or standards, are focused on data collection, exchanging and manipulation. Students must also appreciate the extent of the e-business and e-commerce in the world of the Internet and the worldwide web (www). In addition, students must understand the fundamentals of security and electronic signatures used in e-commerce.

IMF104: International Road Transport

The subject matter of this course includes Introduction to Road Transport, Legal Requirements for International Road Transport, Geography in International Road Transport, Types of Road Vehicles (Technical Standards), Waybills and Accompanying Documents (TIR Carnet), and Pricing in International Road Transport. Learning Outcomes Students should gain general knowledge of road freight forwarding, including the pros and cons of road transportation. They should gain an overview of the transport markets by road in the EU and in Nigeria.

IMF105: Customs Planning and Procedures

The subject matter of this course includes General Information on the National Customs Administration, National Customs Tariffs, Harmonized System Code and TARC, National Customs Procedures, Liability of the Freight Forwarder, International Conventions, and Other Possible Duties Managed by the Customs Learning Outcomes Students must understand the role of the international Customs with its economic and fiscal mission in a trade facilitation driven world economy development. They must be aware of the Nigerian Customs nomenclature, the rules and regulations governing the Nigerian Customs declaration and the various controls and customs facilitation measures for trade.

IMF 106: International Rail Transport

The subject matter of this course includes an Overview of Rail Transport, Rail Freight Calculation, Geography of Rail Transport Operation, Route Choice Determinant Factors in Rail Freight, Rail Operating Systems in the World and in Nigeria, Combined Transport in Rail, Existing Agreements on AGTC and Waybills in Rail Freight, and Rail Tariff Rate. Learning Outcomes Students should be competent to give information on the legal aspects of carriage by rail and they should be able to describe rolling stock including railcars and combined traffic by rail. They should be able to explain how to complete consignment notes and how to work with rail tariffs with reference to situation in Europe. Students should be able to demonstrate how to calculate rail freight for the Nigerian market.

IMF107: Freight Safety and Security

The subject matter of this course includes Definition of Safety and Security, Safety and Security in Nigerian Supply Chain, Security programmes in Supply Chain logistics, Main Objectives of Supply Chain Security, National Supply Chain security programmes, African Union initiatives on safety and security, ISO Supply chain Management Systems Learning Outcomes: Students should demonstrate an understanding of Security in the Transport Chain. They should have good understanding of the various global Security Programmes in the Transport Chain.

IMF108: Warehousing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management

The subject matter of this course includes Logistics and Forwarding, Logistics Concept/Project and Physical Distribution Systems, Subsystems in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Information Handling and Control Issues, Value Added Services, Commodity Related Systems, Rights and Duties of Warehouse Operators and the Customer, Types of Warehouses and Warehouse Documents and Information Technology for Warehouses, Construction Layout and Safety, Debit of Warehouse Charges/Rents. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to describe the role of the forwarder in logistic activities and define logistic systems. They should be able to state the main steps in a logistic project. They should be acquainted with terms such as lead time, JIT‚ ‘pull systems‘, physical distribution, supply chain, tailor made services. Also, they should be familiar with the procedure of warehousing, types of warehouse and financial aspects of storage.

IMF109: Dangerous Goods Management

The subject matter of this course includes introduction and definitions of dangerous goods, brief overview of the IMDG Code and related regulations, structure of the IMDG Code, shippers and carriers’ responsibilities, training requirements, seven steps to compliance, including identification and classification, packing groups and packaging, marking and labelling, documentation, placarding, stowage, reporting, and segregation of different dangerous goods onboard ship. Learning Outcomes This course while providing general knowledge of dangerous goods is particularly designed to equip students with capacity to handle dangerous goods carriage by sea and therefore students should be able to define dangerous goods, identify dangerous good, explain the legal regime governing the carriage of dangerous goods, classify dangerous goods appropriately mark and label DG consignments, navigate the IMDG Manual with ease, explain the rules governing segregation and stowage, carry out necessary DG documentation, and understand management of DG security.

IMF110: Sea and Inland Waterways Transport

The subject matter of this course includes International Organizations and Regulations in Sea Transport, Geography of Ocean Transport and Port Facilities, Types of Vessels, Documents in Shipping, Pricing of Ocean Freight, Maritime Containers, and International Conventions and Regulations. Learning Outcomes Students should be in position to give information on the basic regulations of Sea Shipments, services offered and most current types of ships in use. They should be familiar with the documents used for sea carriage. They should be able to explain the pricing of Ocean Freight. They should be able to give summary information on how inland waterway transport is organized. They should be able to list the most common barges and their particularities. They should know the documents to be used and give information on the pricing of freight shipped in barges. They should name the most important international navigable waterways and those in Nigeria.

IMF 111: Law and Insurance

The subject matter of this course includes Legal Aspects of Freight Forwarding Business in Nigeria, International Business and Trade Laws, Laws of Carriage of Goods by Sea/Air/Land, FIATA rules for Freight Forwarding Services, Transport Law and Insurance, Cargo Insurance Policy, Types of Cargo Insurance Coverage, Duties of Freight Forwarder in Case of Damage, General Average Features, and Cases in Freight Forwarding. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to give information on the different possibilities of insurance coverage and its characteristics. They should also be in position to state briefly the liability of carriers. Their knowledge should enable them deal with simple insurance issues. They should have good knowledge of Nigerian and international laws governing freight forwarding.

IMF113: Multimodal Transport

The subject matter of this course includes General Knowledge of Multimodal Transport, Types and Specification for the Most Used Container, Loading Procedures in Container Traffic, Geography of Container Traffic, Contracts and Pricing in Container Transport, and Multimodal Road-/Rail-Transport. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to discuss the concepts of International Multimodal Transport (IMT), identify the advantages of IMT, list the different types of IMT and its relationships with intervening parties, covering the various scopes of services provided by the MTO. They should be able to explain the various risks, responsibilities and liabilities faced by the MTO, outline the different types of international conventions covering the transport of general cargoes and dangerous goods in the different modes of transports and its combinations. They should be able to describe the executions of Import, Export and Transhipment via the IMT modes. They should be able to explain Project Forwarding and appreciate the needs of Alternative Transport Solutions.

IMF114: Basic Principles of Economics

This course deals with the basic principles and concepts in economics. It focus on the following; Definitions of economics, factors of production, principles of demand and supply, the concept of opportunity cost, the concept of scarcity and other relevant issues in economics. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to understand the basic principles in economics and its application to Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management.

IMF115: Sociology of Freight Forwarding

This course deals with a description of the concept of supply chain management from sociological perspectives, with a focus on the following: the Origin and Development of Supply Chain Management, Human Relations in Supply Chain Management, Socio-Cultural Values Affecting the Practice of Supply Chain Management, and the Role of Supply Chain Management in Human Society. Learning Outcomes Students should be able to understand the essence of supply chain management in human society and the dynamics of human relations in supply chain management. They should understand the process of conflict management in supply chain management.