The World Trade Institute (WTI) is a leading academic institution dedicated to studies, teaching and research in international trade and investment regulation, economic globalisation and sustainability. It is directed by Professor Joseph Francois. The deputy managing director is Professor Manfred Elsig and the director of studies is Professor Peter Van den Bossche. As a University of Bern centre of excellence with an international, interdisciplinary focus, the WTI explores the interconnections between the fields of law, economics and political science. The institute maintains close ties to the Institute of European and International Economic Law (IEW) at the University of Bern.
The WTI provides graduate study courses and a forum for interdisciplinary research and teaching in international trade law and economics. Fostering interaction between students and professionals, the institute allows researchers and practitioners to establish networks and pool expertise. The WTI offers a doctoral programme within the Graduate School of Economic Globalisation and Integration, a Master's programme in international trade law and economics (MILE), a joint LL.M. and DAS (TRAIL+), a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), weekly courses, an annual Summer Academy, a Joint Academy on International Trade Law and Policy in India, and advisory services. From 2005 to 2017 the WTI was the leading research centre for the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Trade Regulation -- funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The WTI hosts an annual World Trade Forum conference where international experts from the fields of law, economy, political science and international relations discuss a contemporary topic related to the world trading system. Papers, comments and conclusions from these conferences are published in the World Trade Forum Book Series by Cambridge University Press.
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Teaching
The WTI offers a wide range of study options for graduates in law, economics, political science or international relations who are looking to further their knowledge of international trade law and economics.
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Doctoral programme
Open to Master's level graduates in economics, law and political science, the programme is targeted at students interested in writing theses that cross the boundaries between the three disciplines. Special features include a monthly interdisciplinary seminar series, doctoral colloquia for presenting individual research and giving feedback to peers, and an annual retreat.
Master's programme
The Master of International Law and Economics (MILE) is the flagship programme of the WTI, established in 1999. It offers advanced studies in the field of international trade regulation and WTO law from the combined perspectives of law, economics and international political economy. The MILE student body is both multidisciplinary and multinational in character, with the annual intake of around 30 students typically representing as many countries. Many MILE students have prior training or professional experience in the field of international trade. The programme is an intensive academic year of interdisciplinary learning with emphasis on the acquisition of practical skills in trade diplomacy and policy analysis.
TRAIL+
The TRAIL+ is an advanced Master's programme in Trade and Investment Law combined with courses in International Law and Economics. Launched in 2016, this programme is offered at the World Trade Institute in cooperation with the Faculty of Law of the University of Bern. The programme includes more law courses and fewer courses on economics and political science than the MILE programme. On successfully completing the TRAIL+ programme, the student is awarded an LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law, as well as a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in International Law and Economics.
Summer Academy
The Summer Academy covers cutting-edge issues in investment and trade law and policy. It is designed for private and public sector and civil society professionals as well as higher-education students. Weekly modules can be chosen from an 'à la carte' offering.
Joint Academy in India
The Joint Academy on International Trade Law and Policy is run jointly by the WTI and the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS) of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and held annually in Delhi. It was established in 2014 to provide law students and legal professionals in India with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of trade regulation and governance issues.
Courses à la carte
Designed for professionals from the public and private sectors and civil society, the courses à la carte enable participants to enhance their knowledge of select areas in international economic law and policy by joining one or more weeks of the MILE, TRAIL+ or Summer Academy programme. A CAS is awarded for 12 ECTS (around 3 weeks of course work plus a scientific research paper) and a DAS for 30 ECTS (around 8 weeks of course work plus a scientific research paper).
Research
The WTI hosts a number of research projects related to the broad thematic areas of trade, investment and sustainability. These include a project exploring the legal potential of the emerging doctrine of Common Concern of Humankind, the Climate Security with Local Authorities (CLISEL) project, which investigates the climate-security nexus from the perspective of local administrations and communities. Previous major projects included the NCCR Trade Regulation, an academic cooperation project with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Research for Development (r4d) project Employment Effects of Different Development Policy Instruments, the EU-funded Productivity, Non-Tariff Measures and Openness (PRONTO) project, the Design of Trade Agreements (DESTA) database, and a project on the Diffusion of International Law within the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS).
Outreach and advisory services
WTI experts look at the different challenges we face today from an economic, legal and political science perspective. They build networks globally with international institutions and high-profile academic partners and support clients with high quality research-based consultancy advice, training courses and technical assistance.
Regulatory issues, preferential trade agreements, sustainability impact assessments, governance, climate change, human rights, economic development, and employment and migration - these are areas at the core of economic policy-making (public sector) and international business (private sector). The WTI has worked in all of these areas across the world.
WTI advisory services include: applied studies on trade and investment with a specific focus on sustainable impact assessments; training of professionals, practitioners and officials in trade and investment-related issues; trade and investment-related technical assistance and capacity-building services globally; providing platforms for exchange and learning on trade and investment.
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