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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has expanded the WTO Chairs Programme to include five new academic institutions located in previously under-represented regions.

The new beneficiary institutions include University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. The others are Universidad Iberoamericana, Dominican Republic; Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar; Université de Lomé, Togo; and National University of Vanuatu, Vanuatu.
    
According to a statement sent to Financial Nigeria today by the WTO, the objective of the addition of the five institutions is to improve diversity and inclusivity in the programme, with the aim of fostering further research on trade issues in developing and least-developed WTO members and observers.

Following the addition of these five universities, the programme's network comprises a total of 40 Chairs. This expansion is anticipated to strengthen the impact of regional and global initiatives within the network and to promote deeper collaboration and knowledge sharing among academics, policymakers, and trade experts.

The five selected institutions will join the programme's next four-year cycle, which is slated to begin in 2025. They will contribute to the programme’s research, curriculum development and outreach, and benefit from mentoring provided by other Chairs to ease their integration into the network. They will also engage in collaborative events, conferences, and seminars to extend the academic and practical impact of their work on trade policies at the national and international levels.

The fourth cycle of the WTO Chairs Programme also marks a transition to a more frequent admission of institutions into the network to further the global reach and impact of the programme, WTO said. Greater synergies with the WTO’s other technical assistance activities are also anticipated.

“This expansion builds on the WTO’s longstanding efforts to ensure that academic institutions play a crucial role in shaping trade policy and deepening the understanding of the multilateral trading system,” according to the statement.

Funded by France, Austria, the Republic of Korea, and Australia, the WTO Chairs Programme has grown as it seeks to address current and emerging global trade challenges.

“The selection of universities follows a rigorous review process of applications led by the WTO Chairs Programme Academic Advisory Board,” the statement concludes.