A partnership with academia

Fast growth of e-commerce in developing countries creates opportunities and challenges

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Wednesday, 06 April 2016 16:58

Edgardo Torija Zane

Twenty-two students and professors from Russian affiliate member, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), joined UNCTAD's Torbjörn Fredriksson for a Vi videoconference presentation of the 2015 Information Economy Report (IER) March 29.

"Global e-commerce is expanding fast, with developing economies gaining prominence," Fredriksson said as he introduced the report, which examines opportunities and challenges for enterprises in developing countries engaged in electronic commerce (e-commerce).

Summer internship available at the Vi

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Monday, 04 April 2016 07:06

System Administrator

The UNCTAD Virtual Institute is recruiting a project management intern for its Geneva-based team.

Eligible candidates must be Master's students or recent graduates who can commit to work five days per week (35 hours) for four to six months beginning May 17. Priority will be given to applicants with skills in filming, video-editing and distance learning development, as well as English-language drafting.

Vi workshop for Chad on commodity-related econometric analysis trains 22

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Friday, 01 April 2016 16:59

System Administrator

Twenty-two lecturers, researchers and graduate students from six universities(*) acquired new skills in econometric analysis of commodity-related issues during the first Virtual Institute professional development workshop organized for core Chadian Vi member,  the Université de N'Djaména, March 14-18.

Funded by the Government of Finland, the objective of the workshop was to provide participants with the empirical tools needed to conduct policy-relevant analysis in the area of commodities.

“The participants expressed their total satisfaction with the workshop, and said that the training surpassed their expectations,” reports Gadom Djal Gadom, lecturer-researcher at the Université de N’Djamena. “The workshop greatly strengthened their technical skills and capacity to teach at the universities. They also said they felt well-equipped to conduct future research.”

Tanzanian Vi fellow investigates link between export performance and poverty

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Friday, 25 March 2016 13:07

System Administrator

The Virtual Institute granted a research fellowship to Aman Ndewa Nthangu, of Vi core Tanazanian member, the University of Dar es Salaam Business School (UDSBS), February 8 to March 18. The fellowship was funded by the One UN Fund for Tanzania.

With mentoring from former Vi economist, Julia Seiermann, now of UNCTAD’s Division on International Trade in Goods and Services and Commodities, Nthangu explored the link between export performance and household poverty in Tanzania.

“Julia gave me all the support that I needed, and was very much committed to make my project succeed,” he said. “The fellowship exposed me to a new methodology that has not yet been used in Tanzania, and provided me advanced data management skills which I couldn't have obtained in my country.”

Use of remittances and diasporas for development topic of workshop for Senegal

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Wednesday, 09 March 2016 14:19

Vlasta Macku

Thirty academics and government officials* were trained on the use of remittances and diasporas for development at a workshop in Dakar hosted by Vi core member in Senegal, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), March 2-4.

The workshop, delivered by Rolf Traeger, Chief of UNCTAD's LDC Section, aimed to analyze economic aspects of international migration and its potential contribution to home countries - in particular Senegal - and to discuss national and international policies susceptible of enhancing this contribution.