IE School of Global and Public Affairs and the International Trade Centre announce Executive Master in International Trade

6 December 2018, IE School of Global and Public Affairs and the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, today signed an agreement to partner on the launch of an Executive Master in International Trade to start in February 2020.

This program is a response to a changing global trading landscape. A more multipolar world is testing trade multilateralism and the global trading architecture. Growing inequalities have brought to the fore the imperative for more inclusive growth. At the same time, digitalization and technologies such as blockchain, 3D-printing, smart shipping, and artificial intelligence are transforming production patterns, transportation systems, financial transactions, trade and, ultimately, economic and business models.

The academic program on internationalization and trade is designed to address those challenges. The degree, which will become a unique example of a partnership between a multilateral agency and a top-tier university, will provide world-class training designed to meet the needs of the following profiles:

• Policymakers, government officials and staff of international  organizations working on issues related to trade and investment policy and regulation who aspire to foster economic development and lead their teams in this period of change;
• Senior managers and business owners interested in expanding their businesses to new international markets, with distinct cultures and regulatory environments;
• Trade professionals willing to advance their careers and adapt to the new forces that are reshaping global trade;
• Investors eager to understand challenges and promote more sustainable investment opportunities;
• Career shifters with creative mind-sets motivated to find new commercial opportunities in a connected world.

The Master will be offered in a blended format, which will combine face-to-face modules in Madrid and Geneva with live online sessions and interactive forums. This approach will enable students to advance their career while simultaneously pursuing a valuable and meaningful education. The faculty will be made up of high-level experts currently working for world-class organizations and companies, as well as top scholars. All sessions will be conducted in English. Prospective students can request more information at iegpa.admissions@ie.edu

“We live in a time of exponential change. This is also evident in the space of trade. The digitalization of value chains, 3D Printing, the use of cryptocurrencies or Blockchain technology is radically reshaping trade. We need policymakers and trade practitioners to understand this change, navigate it and make the most of the opportunities it brings,” said Manuel Muñiz, Dean of the IE School of Global and Public Affairs.

“This Masters Degree will bring together trade regulators as well as people from the private sector that run highly internationalized businesses or to seek to exploit the opportunities of establishing a global business. We could not find another degree that sought to bring these two groups of people together; despite the fact that they are, in the end, dealing with very similar challenges,” Dean Muñiz added.

ITC Executive Director Arancha González said: ‘As a development agency supporting SMEs in developing and least developed countries internationalize, ITC is proud to partner with IE School of Global and Public Affairs, a well-reputed academic institution, to ensure knowledge about trade, technology and governance reaches our priority countries.

‘The trade community needs to better understand how value chains operate in today’s more technologically driven economy. Businesses also need to be able to better navigate trade and investment rules and better inform trade governance efforts.’

 IE University

The International Trade Centre (ITC)

The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, visit www.intracen.org.

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