WTO Chairs Programme is a world re-known programme which was launched in 2010 with the aim to promote trade-related academic activities, improve knowledge and understanding of the world trading system among scholars, experts, policy makers in developing countries by universities and research institutions.
According to the announcement on November 15, 2021 of the World Trade Organization (WTO), after a rigorous evaluation process, Foreign Trade University (FTU) has officially become one of 17 educational institutions recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and selected from 126 educational institutions in 54 countries around the world, becoming the only Vietnamese educational institution selected to participate in the WTO Chairs Program (WCP) phase 3 from 2022 to 2026. Foreign Trade University will implement program activities with three main pillars: research activities, training program development activities and pervasive communication activities to the community. These activities have direct support from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the cooperation of partners representing both domestic and international stakeholders such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Permanent Representative Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva; World Trade Institute (WTI); University of Wollongong (UOW); VCCI; industry associations and businesses.
In order to implement the proposed activities, on Monday afternoon, January 9, 2023, Foreign Trade University held a ceremony to launch the website of the FTU WTO Chair Program: https://wcp.ftu.edu.vn and the Association International conference with the theme “Technological Advancement And The New Context For International Trade And Investment.“.
Joining the ceremony, on the side of foreign embassies and organizations, there were Mr. H.E Denny Abdi, S.E., – Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Ms. Htar Ei Shwe Yee – Second Secretary, Embassy of Myanmar in Hanoi (Vietnam); Mr. Jose Santiago F. Olaguera – Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Embassy of the Philippines in Hanoi, Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Canh Cuong, Commercial Counselor, Embassy of Vietnam in the UK; Ms. Bui Thanh Ha – Economist, US Embassy in Hanoi (Vietnam); ); H.E. Dr. Le Thi Tuyet Mai – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of the S.R. of Viet Nam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland; Dr. Werner Zdouc – Director of the WTO Chairs Program; Prof. Dr P. Van den Bossche– Director of Studies of the World Trade Institute (WTI); Prof. Claudio Dordi – Project Director of USAID Vietnam Trade Facilitation Program, Professor of European and International Law, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy; Prof. Maarten Smeets – Institute of International Trade, Bern, Switzerland and Senior Advisor of the Project FTU WTO Chair.
On the side of state management agencies, there were Mr. Tran Thanh Hai – Deputy Director of Import-Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Dr. Nguyen Tu Anh – Director of General Department, Central Economic Commission; together with leaders of departments and agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The program also has the presence of domestic and international organizations, foreign partner universities.
On the side of Foreign Trade University, there was the Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Anh Tuan – the Presidents of the University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Thu Thuy – Chairman of the University Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thu Huong – Vice President; Assoc., PhD. Dao Ngoc Tien – Vice President; Assoc. Prof, Dr. Trinh Thi Thu Huong – Director of the FTU WTO Chair Program at Foreign Trade University and leaders of units and staff, lecturers and students of the University
At the opening ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Anh Tuan – the President of FTU emphasized that in 2022, despite many difficulties in the post-Covid-19 pandemic, the members of the FTU WTO Chair Program have made great efforts to successfully complete the set plans. The series of scientific seminars, research works, policy consultations, networking events – cooperation, intensive training courses … have had a far-reaching impact on all stakeholders, thus initially successfully building a foundation of extensive cooperation between the business community, industry associations, research organizations and policy makers in the field of international trade. The launching ceremony of the FTU WTO Chair Program Website and the international conference “Technological Advancement and the New Contexts for International Trade and Investment” today are proof of the practical and effective implementation of the activities within the framework of the FTU WTO Chair Program.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Anh Tuan delivered the opening remarks
The program’s website is expected to become an official communication channel to update information and events about the FTU WTO Chair Program at Foreign Trade University, contributing to bringing the Program’s activities closer to state management agencies, industry associations, businesses, educational institutions…, contributing to improving the quality of human resources in both the public and private sectors in applying effective commitments on international trade and investment that Vietnam has signed.
Giving welcome speech at the event, Dr. Werner Zdouc – Director of the WTO Chairs Program shared after being selected as the only unit of Vietnam to participate in the WTO Chairs Program (WCP) phase 3 since from 2022 to 2026, Foreign Trade University has implemented a series of impressive activities in research, training and communication to the community. The WTO Chair program at Foreign Trade University has demonstrated its ability to make diverse contributions in strengthening the connection of all stakeholders, and at the same time, it has established a network and coordination mechanism among stakeholders in the region, implementing international commitments on trade and investment.
Dr. Werner Zdouc delivered the welcome speech
Delegates performed the website launch ceremony
Right after the website launch ceremony, Foreign Trade University continued to organize the international conference “Technological advancement and the new context for international trade and investment”, with the desire to build a forum to exchange, discuss and promote ideas about emphasizing the role of technology advancement, digital transformation, digital economy development to trade and investment activities, thus connecting industry actors, state agencies, education and training institutions, and at the same time improving the adaptive capacity of Vietnamese enterprises in the context of implementing commitments under the WTO framework and the next-generation of new FTAs.
The workshop was divided into two sessions: Session 1 “Technological Advancement and International Trade” with the discussion of Prof. Claudio Dordi and Prof. Maarten Smeets, which was moderated by Dr. Vu Kim Ngan – Deputy Director of the FTU WTO Chair program at Foreign Trade University. The discussion was centered around the topics of challenges posed to countries in the context of strong development of digital and e-commerce; digital technology and its impact on free trade agreements. Session 2 is a Roundtable Discussion on “The New Context for International Trade and Investment” with the participation of speakers: Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy – Executive Director of Committee IV, under the Advisory Coucil of Prime Minister for Aministrative Procedure Reform; Ms. Dinh Thi Bao Linh – Deputy Director of Industry and Trade Information Center, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Mr. Luu Hai Minh – Director of Nhat Hai New Technology Joint Stock Company, Assoc. Dao Ngoc Tien – Vice President of Foreign Trade University. The moderator of the discussion session is Dr. Pham Thi Cam Anh – Lecturer at Foreign Trade University. The discussion focused on key topics such as the new context in service trade development, reshaping international trade after Covid-19, green energy and other related topics. Many in-depth discussions on expertise and policy advice were exchanged by the participants in both discussion sessions of the workshop.
Giving closing remark at the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thu Huong – Vice President of FTU confirmed again that the goal of the WTO Chair Program at Foreign Trade University is not only about research products, the program will aim to participate more and more deeply in consulting, policy making, contributing together with relevant agencies to solving challenges, enhancing the efficiency of implementation of trade commitments to bring benefits to all parties. The launching ceremony of the website of the FTU WTO Chair program and the international conference “Technological advancement and the new contexts for international trade and investment” that day went well, creating a solid foundation for the future. The program continues to deploy a series of networking events – cooperation, intensive training in the following years, thereby contributing to the realization of Vietnam’s goals of sustainable development and prosperity.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thu Huong delivered the closing remarks
Photo of offline delegates at the event
