UNCTAD Virtual Institute (Vi) Study Tour
for
Vi member universities from Russia
Geneva, Palais des Nations
12 -16 April, 2010
From 12 to 16 April 2010, the Virtual Institute organized its third study tour for Russian university students to Geneva.
Forty-two undergraduate, graduate and PhD students from the State University of St. Petersburg, the Moscow Higher School of Economics, and the State Institute of International Relations Moscow (MGIMO) took part in this tailor-made programme, which gave them the opportunity to discuss a broad range of topics with trade experts from UNCTAD and other Geneva-based organizations dealing with international trade, investment and development.
The 2010 study tour was hosted by UNCTAD, WTO and the ITC and included lectures on the financial crisis, oil and gas, trade facilitation, trade in services, Russia's accession to the WTO, the dispute settlement mechanism, competition law and policies, Corporate Social Responsibility, trends in FDI, enterprise development, intellectual property protection, and ITC's market research and analysis services, among others.
The sessions were led by leading experts from the different organizations and involved active participation by the entire group through Q&As, group discussions and practical exercises. The students greatly appreciated the exposure to the surroundings of trade policymaking and negotiation as a complementary experience to their academic studies.
The participants also had the invaluable opportunity to be received by the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations in Geneva, and learned first-hand about the challenges facing their country in trade-related international negotiations.
"The choice of subjects was great, as [they covered] the most topical aspects of modern international economic relations. Moreover, the role of Russia in the world was [illustrated] by qualified specialists, and it was really exciting to listen to them," writes a participant after the end of the programme.
“As for me, I expected to broaden my mind in many spheres connected with international economics and to tell the truth, the current study tour exceeded my expectations.”
Monday, April 12
Presentations
Introduction to the United Nations and UNCTAD, presentation by Manuela Tortora, Chief, Technical Cooperation Service, UNCTAD
Negotiations on trade facilitation at the World Trade Organization, presentation by
Jan Hoffmann, UNCTAD, Division on Technology and Logistics
Related documents:
- New measures of port efficiency using international trade data
- Efficient transport and trade facilitation to improve participation by developing countries in international trade
- Maritime transport and the climate change challenge
- The costs of introducing and implementing trade facilitation measures: Interim report
- Analysis of non-tariff measures: Customs fees and charges on imports
- The economic impact of trade facilitation
- The costs and benefits of trade facilitation
- Quantitative assessment of the benefits of trade facilitation
- Trade facilitation reforms in the service of development: Country case studies
- Trade facilitation reforms in the service of development
- Review of Maritime Transport 2007
- Review of Maritime Transport 2008
- Review of Maritime Transport 2009
- Trade facilitation handbook, Part 1
- Trade facilitation handbook, Part 2
- Maritime security: ISPS code implementation, costs and related financing
- UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, Fourth Quarter 2008
- UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, First Quarter 2009
- UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, Second and Third Quarters 2009
- UNCTAD Transport Newsletter, Fourth Quarter 2009
- Trade and transport facilitation: European accession and capacity building priorities
- Regional integration in South Asia: What role for trade facilitation?
- Implementing a WTO agreement on trade facilitation: What makes sense?
Oil and gas and the current financial crisis, presentation by Rachid Amui, UNCTAD, Special Unit on Commodities
The Global Commodities Forum, presentation by Rouben Indjikian, UNCTAD, Special Unit on Commodities
Tuesday, April 13
Presentations
The current financial crisis: Eastern Europe and Russia, presentation by Jörg Mayer, UNCTAD, Division on Globalization and Development Strategies
Corporate Social Responsibility, presentation by Anthony Miller, UNCTAD, Division on Investment and Enterprise
An introduction to competition policy and law, presentation by Carl Buik, UNCTAD, Division on International Trade in Goods, Services and Commodities
ВОИС: ИСТОРИЯ, ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ, ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ, presentation by Serguei Zotine, World Intellectual Property Organization, Division for Certain Countries in Europe and Asia
Wednesday April 14
Presentations
Introduction to the WTO, presentation by Gerardo Thielen, WTO, Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation
General Agreement on Trade in Services - GATS, presentation by Aik Hoe Lim, WTO, Trade in Services Division
WTO Accession, presentation by Josefita Pardo de León, WTO, Accessions Division
Related documents:
Regional trade agreements and the WTO, presentation by Jo-Ann Crawford, WTO, Trade Policies Review Division
WTO dispute settlement, presentation by Maria Pereyra, WTO, Appellate Body Secretariat
Thursday April 15
Presentations
The International Trade Center and Its market research and analysis services, presentations by Armen Zargaryan, Olivier Marty, Gianluca Mele and Oliver von Hagen, ITC
Related documents:
Friday April 16
Presentations
General Trends in Foreign Direct Investment in Transition Economies, presentation by Kalman Kalotay, UNCTAD, Division on Investment and Enterprise
Business Linkages for Sustainable Development - The case of Penang Malaysia, case-study presented by Fulvia Farinelli, UNCTAD, Division on Investment and Enterprise (film on DVD available from professor)