United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNCTAD Virtual Institute on Trade and Development

Building national capacities for trade with academia and knowledge institutions

http://vi.unctad.org

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Policymaking and negotiating capacity

Competitiveness of the private sector

Capacity of civil society to contribute to the debate on trade issues

Capacity to provide locally relevant research

Problems/needs

Addressing these needs through academia and knowledge institutions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

ProcessObjective Output

Strengthen/update professional capacities on trade at universities

Better informed

policy decisions

The Vi scheme

Teach trade to graduate and post-graduate

students

Policy-makers and trade

practitioners equipped to

analyze and take

trade decisions

Develop policy-

orientated research

Feed research

into policy making

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

What is the UNCTAD Virtual Institute?

A member driven programme

aiming to strengthen capacities in developing country universities

to teach and research trade and development issues

through capacity-building and networking

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 22 university (institutional) members

Who are Vi members (1)?

CanadaWest IndiesColombiaBrazilChileArgentina

EgyptSenegal MauritiusMozambique South Africa TanzaniaUganda

FranceBelarusUkraineRussia

JordanIranIndiaChina

Vietnam

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Possibility for them to set up national networks with other universities in their countries (currently 12 such universities are affiliated to the Virtual Institute)

e.g. Colombia

Who are Vi members (2)?

University teachers and researchers interested in international economic issues

Currently more than 250 associate (individual) members from more than 80 countries

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Teaching resources Provision of publications and studies from UNCTAD and

partners

Hard copies for libraries (almost 1,400 publications sent)Online library of trade resources on Vi website (more than 400 documents; e-mail alert system)

Development of teaching materials for university context Competitiveness and development; Economics of commodity production and trade; Economic and legal aspects of FDI; Trade data analysis; Regional trade agreements; Transfer of technology; Trade and poverty…

Members adapt materials to their country contexts

10 localized versions of Vi teaching materials are being produced by member universities

Vi services (1)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Vi services (2)

Professional development

Workshops on teaching and research of specific international economic issues

5 workshops so far on investment, commodities, trade and trade policy analysis, trade and poverty

Fellowships at UNCTAD for member university staff

14 fellows so far from Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania

Information and access to other professional development opportunities (UNCTAD, WTO, WB, CTPL…)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Vi services (3)Curricular advice and support to teaching

Exchange of syllabi among members

Personalized curricular adviceInternational trade Masters in Tanzania and Senegal, programme in International negotiations in Colombia, International trade programmes in Vietnam…

Support to delivery of Masters coursesCommodity course in Tanzania, transport course in Mauritius…

Study tours for Masters studentsTailor-made training programme for students with UNCTAD, WTO, ITC, diplomatic missions…

6 tours organized so far for Brazil, Russia, West Indies (mandatory part of the Masters curriculum), Tanzania

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Vi services (4)4. Research and links with policymaking Research

Dissemination of information about research opportunities

Publication of members’ research papers on the Vi website

Joint research by members (2 projects currently under way involving China, India, Jordan, Mauritius, Senegal)

Links between research and policymakingAddressed in professional development workshops –

recommendations on the issue in September 2006

Debated in intergovernmental meetings (EG meeting on building knowledge and skills for trade in November 2006)

Facilitated through the new design of courses on Key International Economic Issues

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Key features of the Virtual Institute

Idea of linking an international organization with universities

Focus on building national capacities

Provision of long-term support

Sustainability Ownership by the network (members define the work

programme) Combination of standard services and customized support Facilitation of cooperation within the network (S-S, N-S,

national) Partnerships within and outside UNCTAD Vi team at UNCTAD plays a role in conceptualizing,

facilitating and implementing activities in support of universities

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Challenges and issues for the future

Human and financial resources (at UNCTAD and in the Vi network) determine the present and the future of the programme: need to find a balance between needs and resources

Capacity to differentiate services so as to respond to different levels of development and priorities of Vi members

Personalized services to limited membership or standard services with a wider outreach?

Attracting partners willing to provide joint support to the developing country/transition economy members of the Vi network

Secure predictable funds for long-term support

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Contact

Vlasta MackuChief, UNCTAD Virtual Institute

tel.: +41-22-917 62 27fax: +41-22-917 00 50e-mail: vlasta.macku@unctad.org

web: http://vi.unctad.org