As part of the 2025 International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade—an initiative launched by the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender (IWG) under the World Trade Organization (WTO)—the WTO Chairs Programme at Foreign Trade University (WCP–FTU) has been proudly awarded the Special Mention Prize, marking the first time Vietnam has been recognized at this prestigious international platform.
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.
