The winning project, titled “From Knowledge to Impact: Amplifying Women’s Influence in Trade through WCP–FTU”, is a strategic, interdisciplinary, and gender-responsive initiative that integrates gender considerations across the programme’s full design and implementation. Out of numerous entries submitted by WTO members and observers, only five countries were selected for recognition. WCP–FTU was the only representative from Vietnam to receive the prize and was recognised in the category of Youth Empowerment through a Gender Lens. This award highlights the programme’s outstanding efforts in embedding gender into trade while creating meaningful spaces to empower young women in academia, policymaking, and international business.

Launched in 2022 as part of the third phase of the WTO Chairs Programme—a global initiative fully supported by the WTO—WCP–FTU is the sole institution in Vietnam selected to join this international network. Over the past three years, the programme has delivered a wide range of impactful activities, including international conferences, specialised training courses, policy dialogues, business engagement events, and the publication of policy research—all guided by a strong and consistent gender equality focus. In presenting the award, the IWG Co-Chairs emphasised: “To achieve gender equality objectives in trade, governments need the active partnership of academia and other stakeholders. The WCP–FTU programme not only demonstrates the leadership of an educational institution but also challenges social norms, promotes equitable access to education—particularly for vulnerable and marginalised communities—and serves as a model for similar initiatives around the world.”

The award ceremony took place on July 2, 2025, at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Attending the event were Mr. Pham Quang Huy – Minister Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the WTO; Ms. Nguyen Minh Phuong – Counselor, Permanent Mission of Viet Nam to the WTO; and Assoc.Prof. Dr. Trinh Thi Thu Huong – Director of the WTO Chairs Programme at Foreign Trade University.

With this honour, WCP–FTU not only reaffirms the pioneering role of Vietnam’s higher education in advancing gender-responsive trade, but also underscores its long-term commitment to empowering women and youth through inclusive access to knowledge, informed policymaking, and a more equitable global trade future.

]]> https://wcp.ftu.edu.vn/en/featured-news/wto-chairs-programme-at-foreign-trade-university-honoured-with-special-mention-prize-at-the-2025-international-prize-for-gender-equality-in-trade/feed/ 0 https://wcp.ftu.edu.vn/en/introduction/about-ftu-wcp-program/wto-chairs-programme-phase-3-at-foreign-trade-university/ Tue, 13 Sep 2022 06:34:07 +0000 http://wcp.ftu.edu.vn/?p=1755 WTO Chairs Programme

The WTO Chairs Programme was launched in 2010. It aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the trading system among academics and policymakers in developing countries through curriculum development, research and outreach activities by universities and research institutions.

Academic institutions awarded WTO Chairs receive support in the areas of research, curriculum development, and outreach activities. The chair-holders are selected through a competitive process. Fourteen institutions were originally selected as WTO Chairs for a four-year term in 2009. Seven institutions were added to the Programme in May 2014. 

Following a call for applications for Phase III of the Programme, over 120 applications were received by the WTO. A selection process resulted in 17 institutions being chosen to join the network of WCP in December 2021. This further diversifies the Programme’s representation across the globe, with the network now comprising of 36 universities.

The main objectives of the Programme are to:

• Promote research in trade-related matters and highlight policy relevance
• Support the development and delivery of courses on international trade and provide teaching support
• Encourage outreach activities
• Collate information and promote knowledge sharing on international trade
• Establish a network of engaged academics

FTU WTO Chair

Foreign Trade University (FTU) has officially become one of 17 educational institutions selected from 126 institutions in 54 countries around the world, thus becoming the only educational institution in Vietnam that was selected to participate in the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) in the third phase from 2022 to 2026.

The general objective of the WCP – FTU is “Strengthening the collaboration among industry, academia and the government in implementing Vietnam’s commitment in WTO and new FTAs”. 

In order to solve the enormous gap between the implementation of state commitments from policy perspectives and the role of stakeholders, thereby proposing solutions for connecting different stakeholders in the implementation of Vietnam’s commitments in the WTO as well as new-generation FTAs, FTU organizes a range of training, research and outreach activities in collaboration with partners representing stakeholders such as MOIT, VCCI, WTO center and some trade associations.

The values that the WCP – FTU brings to stakeholders

1. Capacity building for the public sector, especially local authorities/governments to understand, apply, guide, and connect with industry actors in order to properly and effectively implement Vietnam’s commitments in the WTO and FTAs.
2. Capacity building for policymakers to collaborate with industry actors and research institutions/academia in the formulation of economic restructuring and other social policies (e.g., environmental and labor issues) under the impact of trade commitments.
3. Capacity building for industry actors (such as MSMEs, trade associations …) to take advantage of commitments signed by the government, interact and consult with the public sector in the process of government-government negotiations, and for signing future trade agreements with better deals.
4. Enhancing FTU’s research capacity for lecturers, developing the ability to connect FTU’s research and teaching activities with industry actors as well as with the public sector through experience from international experts from the WTO and other research and education organizations over the world.
5. Building a network of research, consultation, and connection with industry actors (businesses) and the public sector (state agencies/authorities), with FTU as the coordinating center, in the implementation of trade commitments, through website systems, applications, and annual reports.

Expected activities implemented by FTU in the programme

• Research
• Curriculum
• Outreach and Events

Research Activities

• Research in Recent performance of commitment implementation + Bottlenecks
• Research on:

– The role of different stakeholders in international trade policy implementation in Vietnam: A historical survey from “Doi Moi” to present

– Vietnam’s obligations in commitments on non-trade issues such as labor, the environment in the new generation of FTAs, and potential impacts on industry actors

– The role of social cohesion/ connection/ network or university’s role on stakeholder activities in implementing Vietnam’s commitments

– The connection and collaboration (coordination mechanism) among industry-academia – government to promote the implementation of Vietnam’s commitments in the WTO and the new-generation FTAs

• Future Research (sponsored by FTU) of 01 FTU research team, developed from one of the above researches – Starting from the 4th year of the project.

Curriculum Development and Teaching

• Designing and implementing 3 short courses: 

– Trade and Investment

– Digital Trade: How to help Vietnamese enterprises to benefit from Vietnam’s commitments on e-commerce in WTO and FTAs for the Post COVID-19 Recovery

– Non-trade Issues commitments in new-generation  FTAs: Implementation and challenges

• Designing and implementing 3 Academic courses: 

– Trade and Investment

 – Digital Trade Policy and Laws

– Non-traditional Issues in International Trade

• Updating and implementing 3 curriculums of:

– Master in International Trade Policy and Law

– Bachelor of International Trade

– Bachelor of International Trade Law

Outreach and Events

• Launch ceremony
• Five consultation workshops
• “Vietnam WTO Chairs Programme” website
• Vietnam Forum on International Trade (VFIT)
• Vietnam International Trade Moot Competition (VIT- Moot) for students of nationwide universities
• Six academic workshops
• Closing Chair ceremony

The WTO Chairs Programme:

• Aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the multilateral trading system among academics, policy makers and civil society in developing countries and least developed countries by stimulating teaching, research, and public debate on international trade at universities and research institutions.
• Fosters research and capacity building of relevance to government policy makers and other stakeholders and adapted to circumstances on the ground.
• Provides financial and substantive support to the Chairs over a four-year programme cycle as part of the WTO`s technical cooperation mandate of enhancing human and institutional capacities of beneficiary Members to take full advantage of the rules-based multilateral trading system.
• Comprises a total of 36 institutions with a cohort of 17 Chairs participating in the current four-year cycle and 19 Chairs funded in previous programme cycles actively engaged in the network.

BACKGROUND

The WTO Chairs Programme was launched in 2010. It is fostering research, training, and outreach activities of relevance to governmental policy makers and other stakeholders at universities in developing countries and least developed countries.

Academic institutions awarded WTO Chairs receive support in the areas of research, curriculum development, and outreach activities. The chair-holders are selected through a competitive process. Fourteen institutions were originally selected as WTO Chairs for a four-year term in 2009. Seven institutions were added to the Programme in May 2014. Following a call for applications for Phase 3 of the Programme, over 120 applications were received by the WTO. A selection process resulted in 17 institutions being chosen to join the network of WCP Chairs in December 2021. This further diversifies the Programme’s representation across the globe, with the network now comprising 36 universities.