Press releases

IE University and the International Trade Centre announce Executive Master in Internationalization and Trade

18 December 2018
ITC News

(Geneva/Madrid) IE School of Global and Public Affairs and the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, today signed an agreement to partner on the launch of an Executive Master in Internationalization and Trade to start in February 2020.

This program is a response to a changing global trading landscape. A more multipolar world is testing trade multilateralism and the global trading architecture. Growing inequalities have brought to the fore the imperative for more inclusive growth. At the same time, digitalization and technologies such as blockchain, 3D-printing, smart shipping and artificial intelligence are transforming production patterns, transportation systems, financial transactions, trade and, ultimately, economic and business models.

The academic program on internationalization and trade is designed to address those challenges. The degree, which will become a unique example of partnership between a multilateral agency and a top-tier university, will provide world-class training designed to meet the needs of the following profiles:

  • Policymakers, government officials and staff of international organizations working on issues related to trade and investment policy and regulation who aspire to foster economic development and lead their teams in this period of change;
  • Senior managers and business owners interested in expanding their businesses to new international markets, with distinct cultures and regulatory environments;
  • Trade professionals willing to advance their careers and adapt to the new forces that are reshaping global trade;
  • Investors eager to understand challenges and promote more sustainable investment opportunities;
  • Career shifters with creative mind-sets motivated to find new commercial opportunities in a connected world.

The Master will be offered in a blended format, which will combine face-to-face modules in Madrid and Geneva with live online sessions and interactive forums. This approach will enable students to advance their career while simultaneously pursuing a valuable and meaningful education. The faculty will be made up of high-level experts currently working for world-class organizations and companies, as well as top scholars. All sessions will be conducted in English. Prospective students can request more information at iegpa.admissions [at] ie.edu (iegpa[dot]admissions[at]ie[dot]edu).

‘We live in a time of exponential change. This is also evident in the space of trade. The digitalization of value chains, 3D printing, and the use of cryptocurrencies or blockchain technology are radically reshaping trade. We need policymakers and trade practitioners to understand this change, navigate it and make the most of the opportunities it brings,’ said Manuel Muñiz, Dean of the IE School of Global and Public Affairs.

‘This Masters Degree will bring together trade regulators as well as people from the private sector that run highly internationalized businesses or seek to exploit the opportunities of establishing a global business. We could not find another degree that sought to bring these two groups of people together; despite the fact that they are, in the end, dealing with very similar challenges,’ Dean Muñiz added.

ITC Executive Director Arancha González said: ‘As a development agency supporting SMEs in developing and least developed countries to internationalize, ITC is proud to partner with IE School of Global and Public Affairs, a well-reputed academic institution, to ensure knowledge about trade, technology and governance reaches our priority countries.

‘The trade community needs to better understand how value chains operate in today’s more technologically driven economy. Businesses also need to be able to better navigate trade and investment rules and better inform trade governance efforts.’

Notes for the Editor

About IE University IE is a university based in Spain that offers programs in international relations, business administration, law, technology and social sciences. With over 7,000 students, 70% of them from foreign countries, and an active network of 60,000 alumni distributed among 165 countries, IE is characterized by its diversity and openness to the world. The University is broadly recognized by the quality and innovation of its programs, including the second-best MBA online in the world, according to the Financial Times.

The IE School of Global and Public Affairs aims to build talent and knowledge in complex, interdependent and fast-changing environments in which challenges and opportunities can only be addressed through a practical understanding of social, political, technological and economic interconnections. With over 1,000 students, the School combines a multidisciplinary approach to professional education guided by problem-solving driven pedagogy, forward-looking teaching and fostering adaptability. Being a full member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), which constitutes the most prestigious platform in this field, the School has positioned itself as the most innovative academic institution in global affairs.

Beyond teaching, the School holds a wide portfolio in applied-research and outreach. It supports the Transatlantic Initiative with Harvard’s Kennedy School, which opens a new framework of dialogue between public and private leaders in the Atlantic space; the PublicTech Lab to facilitate the digitalisation of the public sector; and the Center for the Governance of Change, a ground-breaking research institution that seeks to enhance our ability to manage innovation and navigate exponential change in a variety of domains –political, economic and societal.

About the International Trade Centre (ITC) - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

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International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland, Media Officer
P: + 41 22 730 0145
M: + 41 79 582 9180
E: hetland [at] intracen.org (hetland[at]intracen[dot]org)