8 Dec 2015
Prof Elsig visits Foreign Trade University of Vietnam
Deputy Managing Director of the WTI Prof Manfred Elsig recently returned from Vietnam where he paid a visit to the Foreign Trade University (FTU) in Hanoi, one of the WTI’s partners in the SECO academic cooperation project and taught a four-day course on Global Political Economy.
“The hospitality is outstanding, the people very nice, and the students are very respectful and eager to learn. It was a great experience overall”, commented Prof Elsig on his return. WTI researchers regularly teach courses on the master’s programme at the FTU. Most recently senior researcher Christian Häberli spent a week in September lecturing on the non-tariff measures in the SPS, TBT and agricultural agreements of the WTO. “The FTU is proud to be affiliated with us, as we are proud to be affiliated with them,” said Prof Elsig, adding that the WTI is well known there and has alumni working both for the European Union’s Multilateral Trade Promotion (MUTRAP) project in Vietnam, US Aid, and as lecturers at FTU. During his visit Prof Elsig met the president and vice-president of the FTU, the SECO coordinator and a Vice-Director of MOIT (Trade Ministry) responsible for trade negotiations. He also had a meeting with the head of MUTRAP, the EU’s main trade capacity building programme in Vietnam. Following his meetings Prof Elsig gave a presentation about the WTI at the FTU and delivered a presentation on a research paper entitled “The Presence of the World Trade Organization within Preferential Trade Agreements”. His visit concluded with a reception for WTI alumni.