Sustainable Wood Supply Analysis
Course description
This course is the final course before the master’s thesis in the Industrial Wood Supply Management programme. It brings together and deepens the knowledge developed in previous courses by synthesising core competences in wood supply management with advanced digital analysis methods.
You work with forest-industrial supply systems as complex, integrated systems where raw material availability, industrial demand, sustainability and competitiveness interact. Through scenario development and modelling, you analyse how wood supply may evolve over time and how uncertainties such as climate change, policy shifts and market dynamics affect supply security.
As the programme’s capstone course, the course is strongly application-oriented. In advanced case studies, you use digital tools and analytical methods to evaluate and design supply strategies for both existing and emerging industries. You train to make strategic decisions under uncertainty and to assess long-term sustainability and competitiveness.
At the same time, you further develop key professional skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and professional communication. The course provides a systems-oriented and analytical perspective, forming a solid foundation for your master’s thesis and for advanced professional roles in forest-based raw material supply.
The course can be completed entirely on distance. However, teaching takes place from the campus in Umeå, where infrastructure is provided for students who are physically present.
Entry Requirements
120 credits
10 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within wood science/wood technology
20 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within forest technology, including industrial supply planning and/or operations control
7,5 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within remote sensing and/or inventory
5 credits within geographic information systems (GIS)
and English 6.
Course facts
SV0045, Sustainable Wood Supply Analysis, 15.0 Hp
Print syllabus
Syllabus
Finalized by: Ordföranden för programnämnden för utbildning inom skog (PN-S), 2023-12-22
Valid from : Autumn semester 2026 (2026-08-31)
Level
Second cycle (A1F)
Main field of study
Forestry Science
Sub-area forestry science
Work processes 15 credits
Grading Scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Course language
English
Entry Requirements
120 credits
10 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within wood science/wood technology
20 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within forest technology, including industrial supply planning and/or operations control
7,5 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within remote sensing and/or inventory
5 credits within geographic information systems (GIS)
and English 6.
Objectives
The course intends to advance student ability to develop sustainable and competitive supply strategies for the forest sector in industrial wood supply. This includes understanding the complexity of the supply chain, its large number of supply alternatives and mastering methods to handle uncertainties and unforeseen events.
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- develop long term regional forest scenarios and analyze corresponding trends for wood supply
- analyze effects of uncertainty, e.g. changing climate or policy, on wood availability
- model effects of the scenarios on mill-specific supply security and competitiveness
- analyze effects of supply system development on competiveness
- apply relevant supply scenarios for case studies of mill-specific sustainability and competitiveness
- develop and critically evaluate supply strategies for case studies to meet significant risks for both changing supply and demand conditions.
Content
Content:
The course focuses on analysis of future forest industry supply scenarios and how to respond to these with supply strategies that secure long-term raw material availability and competitiveness. This takes place through packages of exercises and theory, which also train the students' ability to evaluate the sustainability of supply strategies for a forest sector in constant development.
Implementation:
The course is divided into three parts. Initially, the course focuses on methods for simulating future supply scenarios (part 1) and analyzes of the industry's supply security and competitiveness (part 2). These methods are then applied in case studies (part 3) which form a large part of the course where the students independently analyze different path choices in supply for both existing and new industries. In the case studies, supply scenarios, supply security and competitiveness are analyzed over time in a joint forum for strategic response to changes in external factors.
The course is structured around practical exercises combined with literature seminars. Case studies are carried out in stages with periodic changes in conditions and coordination in the course's common group forum.
The course focuses on the following general competencies: Critical thinking, problem solving, oral communication, written communication, cooperation, time management.
The following elements are mandatory: Exercises, case studies and seminars.
Cooperation with the surrounding society takes place through working life/vocational connections in program/course development together with an external program council of employer representatives, as well as through guest lectures and exercise materials from the forestry industry.
Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course
Passed oral and written reports. Passed participation in compulsory components.
Responsible Department/Equivalent
Department of forest bioeconomy and technology
Supplementary information
Included in program
- Industrial Wood Supply Management (MSc)
Module set
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Supply scenarios | 4.0 | 0001 |
| Competitiveness analysis | 4.0 | 0002 |
| Case studies in sustainable and competitive supply | 7.0 | 0003 |
Other Information
The course is part of the master's program Industrial Wood Supply Management. It builds on the previous courses in the program by synthesizing the achieved core competence in wood supply with the deep competence in digital analyses. It is the last course before the master's thesis, and constitutes the program's synthesis/capstone course where advanced analysis can be based on in-depth understanding of forest industry supply systems. The course can be completed entirely on distance. However, teaching takes place from the campus in Umeå, where infrastructure is provided for students who are physically present. The course is given together with the Department of Forest Resource Management.
The special entry requirement in wood science/wood technology can be met through the program course SV0047 Raw Material Properties and Refining Processes, the entry requirement in forest technology can be met through the program courses SV0048 Forest Industrial Supply Strategy and SV0049 Operational Management of Industrial Wood Supply, and the entry requirement in remote sensing can be met through the program course SV0065 Remote Sensing and Inventory.