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2008 Testimonials
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Alistair Schorn
International Programme Manager: Trade and Investment Programme, Worlwide Fund for Nature (WWF)
2008 Summer Programme on the WTO, International Trade and Development
In July 2008, I had the opportunity to attend the Summer Programme on the WTO, International Trade and Development, presented by the Graduate Institute of Geneva.
Overall, I found this Programme to be interesting and stimulating, providing me with a comprehensive overview of the structure and operations of the WTO, as well as the role and relevance of the Organization in the sphere of international trade negotiation and liberalisation.
The modular structure of the Programme allowed participants the choice of attending either the entire course, or choosing only those elements of particular relevance to them. Key areas of emphasis in the Programme included international trade law, regional trade integration and the economic development aspects of trade liberalisation.
During the same period that the Programme was underway, the WTO Ministerial Meeting took place in Geneva. This fortunate coincidence provided participants in the Programme to observe, at very close quarters and on an extremely practical level, the manner in which the WTO operates and international trade negotiations take place.
The diverse backgrounds of the participants, in terms of both education and professional experience, proved to be a particularly enjoyable and enriching aspect of the Programme, as it served to encourage wide-ranging debate on the issues addressed by the curriculum.
Finally, I would like to commend the faculty and staff of the Graduate Institute for their dedicated efforts to ensure that participants gained the maximum benefit possible from the Programme, while at the same time enjoying to the fullest extent the very pleasant Geneva summer.
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Besnike Saitoski
American citizen teaching English in Paris, Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside
2008 Summer Programme on the WTO, International Trade and Development
As a debutant in the subject of international trade, the WTO summer-trade programme was intense. There was a lot of new information, new vocabulary and acronyms in addition to some technical readings. However, listening to the high caliber lecturers made the material easier to comprehend. I now feel comfortable with my understanding of international trade, and I see how pertinent and complex it is. Participating in the different seminars and simulations and being among professionals in the field really reinforced what we learned. The location of the Graduate Institute is also really special being that it is right next to the WTO and in Geneva, which is such an international crossroads. In addition, there were many opportunities for activities to get to know people from all over the world. In short, "The WTO, International Trade and Development program" was very informative, valuable and enjoyable.
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Yan Weibo
Chinese, Law & Public Policy Student, Yokohama National University, Japan
2008 Summer Programme on the WTO, International Trade and Development
I must say that the summer programme was really great or even perfect and I love it! You all have made very good arrangement for the programme and I can see your efforts to ensure the best quality of the programme. Here I'd like to list some of the good points: we had very well-known and learned professors and other lecturers; the lectures were from different perspectives and covered all the main of WTO; we had both lectures and workshops as well as some nice visits; we had study as well as social activities, we could always get updated and useful information from all the staffs, website and portal, etc. After the first week's study, I had a chat with some classmates and we were of the same opinion: the summer programme is beyond our anticipation! This may be taken as the best evaluation. I really learned and benefited quite a lot from the programme.
All in all, I'd like to conclude that the summer programme was really so nice and I had a very pleasant time. The study in this programme will be a valuable experience which benefit my study and my future life as well. I hope to have opportunities to participate other programmes at the Graduate Institute.
Again thank you for all you help!
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Stine Hyldekjaer
Denmark
2008 Summer Programme on International Affairs and Multilateral Governance
The multilateral governance summer course can best be described as a fantastic melting pot of students, professionals, lecturers and topics tied together by a questioning and enquiring approach to it all. What is a public good? And who decides? What are the underlying reasons behind humanitarian intervention? etc…The course does exactly what the title says; it gives the students an overview of the pertinent governance-related issues that are currently being discussed not only in the academic world but also in ‘real time’ at the international level. Through a combination of first-hand knowledge and academic credentials, the lecturers present the key arguments within the field of health, environment, trade, regional integration and human rights and the students are given the possibility of visiting the relevant international organisations in the vicinity. (...)
Some students were on the course to get credits, either for their future studies or to finalise their degrees, others, such as myself, a governance adviser for the European Commission, were there to be re-exposed to the academic world after a number of years of ‘not only preaching but practicing’ good governance and although I may have covered most of the material before, the quality of the lectures, the location and most importantly my fellow students made it more than worth the long trip from Zambia to Geneva.
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Pablo Brum
Uruguay
2008 Summer Programme on International Affairs and Multilateral Governance
(...) The variety of subjects the programme dealt with was quite enriching. For instance, I had never had formal instruction in what was taught during the first week: health and environmental issues. Getting an introduction to those issues from world-class professionals was a very satisfying experience.
I would highlight two more things. The first is the experience of being in Geneva, and I am not talking only about the visits to international organisations within the course. It’s the fact that you can get a feeling for the city, how it functions, who works there, etc. You can see for yourself and decide whether you aspire to that or not. Second and most important: your fellow students. I was lucky to have made many excellent friends. We had a lot of fun after hours, and now I get to say I have friends all over the world. Overall I was quite pleased with the programme. I learned about new issues and debates, got to know a first-rate “global city” like Geneva and made a great batch of friends. I would recommend it to anyone who can spare a couple of weeks during the Northern hemisphere summer to strengthen their international relations resume.
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Jane Hingston
Australia
2008 Summer Programme on International Affairs and Multilateral Governance
I would like to thank the staff of the Graduate Institute for providing the opportunity to participate in this well organised and unique Summer Programme.
I thoroughly enjoyed the intensive and challenging experience, which both consolidated and added to my knowledge and interest in this field. This was enhanced by the wealth of knowledge and experience of all the professors and workshop specialists, whose enthusiasm created an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that encouraged discussion and debate on a range of challenges and issues in contemporary international relations and multilateral governance.
While Geneva, being a central city for international affairs, provided a relevant and interesting backdrop, the diverse range of backgrounds and interests of other students created a fun atmosphere that altogether made this programme a very valuable experience. Thank you.
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Nicholas Bowen
UK
2008 Summer Programme on International Affairs and Multilateral Governance
Living and working in Geneva over the summer was a great experience. As leading practitioners in the field, most of the professors were highly informed, the classes were well structured, and the participants enthusiastic. Coming from such different backgrounds, the discussions were always lively and engaging, and I would certainly recommend the programme to others in the future. Geneva is a beautiful city and there can surely be no better place to spend your summer!
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