Scholarships available: new Vi online course - Deadline: September 2
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The first week’s programme focused on UNCTAD’s core work on trade policy issues. Experts led discussions on foreign direct investment (FDI); competition policy; technology and innovation; transfer of technology, trade facilitation; climate change and the 2030 Development Agenda.
During his stay, Ndayitwayeko, member coordinator and former Vi fellow, taught courses on trade competition and competitiveness and on research in international economics for students of Moi’s Master’s in Economics.
A dozen Master’s students and lecturers from Vi core member, Belarus State Economic University, joined UNCTAD’s Igor Paunovic May 12 for a presentation of the 2015 Trade and Development Report (TDR). The session focused on the global economic situation and on ways to reform the international financial architecture.
UNCTAD’s report warns that the policy mix in the developed countries, which combines monetary expansion with fiscal and wages restraint, has been ineffective, and generated negative spillovers for the rest of the world.
The Virtual Institute, with funding from the Government of Finland, granted a six-week fellowship to Serigne Bassirou Lo, lecturer/researcher at Vi core Senegalese university member, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, April 4 - May 13.
With guidance from his mentor, Piergiuseppe Fortunato, of UNCTAD’s Division on Globalization and Development Strategies, Lo conducted research on the manufacturing sector in Senegal, and on the participation of domestic firms in international trade.
“The discussions with the experts and the analysis of recent literature strengthened my knowledge of the matter,” Lo said.