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World Trade University on Its Way

By Néfer Muñoz

A United Nations-appointed agency has announced the creation of a World Trade University, an institution that will have 15 campuses around the world and will provide a unique educational opportunity for trade specialists from poor countries.

The Institute for Leadership Development (ILD), a United Nations Global Partnership Institute, stated that the new university will open its doors at two locations in 2003: in Toronto and Beijing.

"What we want is to create a world-class international university," Sajit Chowdhury, ILD executive director, told TERRAVIVA.

The idea for a World Trade University originated at the heart of the Eighth World Summit of Young Entrepreneurs - which is meeting in parallel to the Conference on LDCs - also in Brussels, May 17-20.

In an interview with TERRAVIVA, Chowdhury, who also serves as the secretary-general of the Young Entrepreneurs Summit, explained that the university would offer masters degrees in world trade and in trade administration, available to students from around the world, but with preference going to citizens of poor countries.

"We hope to improve the skills of people in charge of trade at a time when the world is going through the globalisation process," Chowdhury added.

The objective of this international university is to improve the knowledge of those people who already have a great deal of experience in trade but have not received a formal education in this area, he said.

In addition to the campuses in Beijing and Toronto, the World Trade University's promoters are planning to open 13 more sites by 2006, in cities that have not yet been determined.

The team in charge of the project is assessing potential campus locations in several countries, and reports that there are already strong candidates, for example, in Brazil and the United States.

This new institution, which also has the backing of the Foundation for Tomorrow's Leaders, is intended to become one of the world's leading educational centres for trade.

Most students will be expected to finance their own studies as they pursue a master's degree, with each year of study costing 10,000 to 12,000 dollars.

"Of course for those students who cannot pay for their studies we are offering scholarships and subsidies," Chowdhury pointed out.

The professors the university will hire to teach the courses will not necessarily be academics. The staff will include people who are recognised for their extensive experience in world trade, which makes them authorities in the field, he said.

The launching of the World Trade University was welcomed by noted figures from the public and private sectors. Sergio Marchi, Canadian ambassador to the World Trade Organisation, stated that "the WTU will make a significant contribution to better understanding and promoting the world of trade".

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan applauded the initiative, saying it "will provide valuable support for developing and emerging economies in researching and formulating new ways to expand their trade opportunities and become more integrated into the global economy".

For those interested in more information, the promoters of the WTU project have a website (www.ildglobal.org) and can be reached via e-mail: ild@yorku.ca