The 2019-20 Advanced Master Programmes have come to an end

On 20-21 July, the students put months’ worth of preparation to the test in the WTI Moot Court competition which was held online instead of at the WTO premises like in previous years. The competition was panelled by esteemed members of the international trade community, including WTO and private practice lawyers. A total of 4 teams competed against each other. The overall winner was Team 3, comprised by Nithya Grace Fenn from India and Sun Zifu from China. Nithya was additionally selected as Best Orator. Team 4, consisting of Li Yiming from China, Jhanvi Trivedi from India and Karma Yangzom from Bhutan, emerged as Runner-up. Team 4 was also awarded with the the Best Overall Written Submissions. In addition, Jhanvi was Runner-up Best Orator. The special award for Best Orator in Preliminary Rounds was given to Roger Yu So.

On 24 July, the students were given a formal farewell from the WTI at the Closing Ceremony of the 2019-20 Advanced Master Programmes, which was organised in a way that hygiene and distancing rules could be applied at all times.

The ceremony was opened by Prof. Peter Van den Bossche, WTI Director of Studies, and was followed by a keynote address delivered by Prof. Emeritus Thomas Cottier, former WTI Managing Director. His speech was titled, “Some Reflections on the Multilateral Trading System in a Multipolar World". The welcome address and keynote speech are linked below. 

The Thomas Cottier Award for Best Thesis was presented  to MILE 19 alumna Yuliia Kucheriava from Ukraine who was connected live to the ceremony via Zoom. The title of her thesis is "Anti-Circumvention Practices: Balanced Approach to Address Loopholes in Anti-Dumping Agreement" and was supervised by Edwin Vermulst. The award is presented annually to one MILE or TRAIL+ student for the best thesis submitted.

Per tradition, this year’s class representatives, Marianna Henud Cresci from Brazil and Esha Sandhu from India, gave a creative farewell speech to their fellow classmates. The full speech is linked below. Right after the speech, the students were presented with their MILE stones.

The ceremony was live-streamed and was followed by a COVID-19 conform Farewell Lunch at the Restaurant Rosengarten for students and WTI staff members.

While the students have finished their coursework for the MILE and TRAIL+ programmes, they will spend the next four months writing and submitting their master theses.