Representatives from 15 WTO Chairs across the world convened inGeneva on June 21, 2011 at the 2nd WTO Chairs Annual Conference. Asone of the four Chair Holders in the Asia-Pacific region, ProfessorZhang Lei from the WTO Research and Education School of SIFTattended the conference.
Director-General Pascal Lamy expressed, in his opening remarks, thesatisfaction with what had been achieved by the 15 chair-holderinstitutions in the past year. In particular, he mentioned thecollaboration between the University of Barcelona and SIFT, whichwas an example of “the links that could be forged betweeninstitutions of higher learning from across the world within theframework of the Chairs Programme”. He also said, ‘another way inwhich we are seeking to deepen and extend activities falling underthe rubric of the WTO Chairs Programme is by linking up withChair-holders in organizing and delivering technical co-operationand training activities falling under the WTO's programmes ofassistance to developing countries.’ And encouragingly, SIFT playsa leading role in carrying out these activities.
Prof. Zhang Lei introduced in his report to the conference SIFT’sefforts’ in developing and updating course curricula for existingMaster's Degree Programme, creating a reference library room,cooperating on course preparation and lecturing, inviting foreignexperts to lecture, conducting joint researches with China -WTODispute Settlement Mechanism Research Centre and China WTO TradePolicy Review Centre, holding national summer school and launchingWCP in China. He also introduced the cooperative MPA and PhDprograms between the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administrationand SIFT.
Experts and advisors from the World Bank, University of Barcelona,University of Bocconi, UNCTAD, Singapore Management University,Graduate Institute of International Studies and Development andother international organizations commented on the work of theChairs. And SIFT received very positive comments.
From June 22nd to 24th, 2011, the preparatory meeting for theRegional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) for the Asian Region was heldin Geneva. RTPC is an important training module arranged by the WTOSecretariat. The courses are offered to senior officials in chargeof the WTO affairs and international trade in the region. Prof.Zhang attended the meeting as a Chair holder from the Asia-Pacificregion. It was the first time for scholars from mainland China toofficially participate in the management of RTPC since China’saccession to the WTO, which marks China’s engagement in the WTOtraining programs.