United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD Virtual Institute on Trade and Development Building national capacities for trade with academia

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Process Objective Output Strengthen/u pdate professional capacities on trade at universities Teach trade to graduate and post-graduate students Develop policy- orientated research Feed research into policy making Policy-makers and trade practitioners equipped to analyze and take take decisions Better informed policy decisions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development How does the Vi work?  Provision of long-term support  Focus on building national capacities sustainability  Vi team at UNCTAD plays a role in conceptualizing, facilitating and implementing activities in support of universities Building capacity through  technical cooperation with UNCTAD and Vi partners (knowledge of global/regional issues)  networking among universities and individual teachers/researchers (knowledge of local/regional issues)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development  Academic institutions (and their staff) with graduate and post-graduate programmes and policy-orientated research on international economic and development issues Currently 14 university (institutional) members Receive personalized support  University teachers and researchers interested in international economic issues Currently more than 150 associate (individual) members from 67 countries Receive standard set of services Who are Vi members?

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 1. Teaching resources  Publications and studies from UNCTAD and partners  Specifically developed by Vi for university context - on Competitiveness and development; Economics of commodity production and trade; International investment agreements; Sanitary and phytosanitary standards… Vi services 2. Research  Dissemination of information about research opportunities  Publication of research papers on the Vi website  Research papers on issues of common interest (e.g. set of articles by members for the Hong Kong Ministerial)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 3. Professional development  Workshops on teaching and research of specific international economic issues, e.g. on investment, commodities, trade and trade policy analysis  Guest lectures+member research presentations at Vi meetings  Fellowships for member university staff at UNCTAD  Information and access to other opportunities (UNCTAD, WTO, WB, CTPL…) Vi services 4. Advice and facilitation  Exchange of experiences, syllabi and materials among members  Personalized support from UNCTAD in the development of teaching and research (e.g. Int’l Trade Masters in Tanzania and Senegal)  Facilitation of access to support from Vi partners and donors

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 5. Study tours to UNCTAD Part of the Masters curriculum at the University of the West Indies; organized also for the University of Campinas and the University of Dar-es-Salaam; tailor-made training programme for students with UNCTAD, WTO, ITC, diplomatic missions… Vi services 6. Communication Quarterly Vi newsletter (9 issues so far) with information about teaching resources, Vi and member activities… 7. Web publishing (  More than 400 trade resources published so far  Web-based debates  Tools to provide feedback; alert system

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Contact Vlasta Macku Chief, UNCTAD Virtual Institute tel.: fax: