RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/BFA/W/83
7 November 2002
(02-6153)
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration
TRAINING INSTITUTE
1. It will be recalled that the Committee on Budget Finance and Administration, when
considering the budget proposals for 2002 (documen t WT/BFA/SPEC/63) and the Director-General’s
supplemental submission on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building (document CRP(01)22),
accepted that the proposed increase in training activities be staged over two years.
2. The Committee also recommended a one-time budget allocation of CHF 1,000,000 to
transform space in the Centre William Rappard into two training rooms to cater for simultaneous
Trade Policy Courses. The renovation work having been completed in 2002, the 2003 budgettherefore contains provision for the remaining increase in the activities of the WTO Training Institute.
3. The 2003 budget proposal therefore contain provision to increase planned WTO Training
Institute activities as follows:
i) Six 3-month trade policy courses, instead of four;
ii) Three ‘Special Trade Courses’, instead of one;
iii) Continuation of the ongoing two LDC introduction courses ;
iv) Provision for the ‘Training of Trainers’ under the regular WTO budget;
v) Introduction of a provision for the University Out Reach Programme.
vi) Continuation of the development and upgrading of the Distance Learning’ module
commenced in 2002.
4. As more than one budget section may be involved in the above mentioned activities, the table
on the following page (Annex 1) consolidates the activities to the WTO Institute leading to the
increase of CHF 2.1 million as mentioned in document WT/BFA/SPEC/82 paragraph 19.
5. Annex 2 is an extract of document WT/COMTD/W/103 (activities of the WTO Training
Institute in 2003) and provides information regarding the fields of activity of the Institute.WT/BFA/W/83
Page 2 ANNEX 1
Part Section Item Project2002 Budget 2003 BudgetIncrease/
(Decrease)
A Sect  2 Temporary Assistance (a)Temporary Assistance Training of Trainers -             250,000          250,000
   Distance Learning             250,000               73,500         (176,500)
B Sect  3 Communications (b) Postal Charges University Out Reach -               28,000            28,000
C Sect  9 Missions (b)Missions Technical University Out Reach -             185,000          185,000
 Sect 10 Trade Policy Courses 1st Trade Policy Course             514,000             577,500             63,500
   2nd Trade Policy Course             514,000             577,500             63,500
   3rd Trade Policy Course             514,000             577,500             63,500
   4th Trade Policy Course             514,000             577,500             63,500
   5th Trade Policy Course -             577,500           577,500
   6th Trade Policy Course -             577,500           577,500
   1st LDC Introduction Course             240,700             240,700 -
   2nd LDC Introduction Course             240,700             240,700 -
   1st Special Short Course             180,000             180,000 -
   2nd Special Short Course -             180,000           180,000
   3rd Special Short Course -             180,000           180,000
 Sect 12   Various (a) Representation and Hospitality                19,000               18,000             (1,000)
  Provision of priced publications -               63,000             63,000
  (e) Publications
 University Out Reach -               37,000             37,000
Grand Total           2,986,400          5,140,900       2,154,500WT/BFA/W/83
Page 3
ANNEX 2
(Extract from document WT/COMTD/W/103)
A. FIELDS OF ACTIVITY OF THE WTO T RAINING INSTITUTE
1. Training Courses
6. Training is being offered at the WTO Headquarters primarily to government officials of
beneficiary countries/customs territories.  The main activity of the Institute is to develop and conduct
training courses in trade policy.  Different formats corresponding to specific objectives in transferring
knowledge and skills are being offered:
Format 1: One-day Induction Courses, such as those held in 2001 and 2002.
Format 2: Two- or three-week Introduction Courses, such as the courses for LDCs.
Format 3: Three-month Trade Policy Courses of the type conducted since 1956 and
progressively adapted to developments in the multilateral trading system.
Format 4: Specialised Courses focusing on specific topics, such as the ones conducted
on Dispute Settlement.
7. In order to develop complementarity and coherence among its newly regrouped activities, the
Institute will continue rationalizing its procedures pertaining to the management and conduct of its
activities.  The bulk of the exercise has already been concluded.  A horizontal approach relating to,
inter alia , the following elements has been developed, in co-operation with the other WTO Divisions
or services involved:  calendars; language(s) in which the activities are conducted;  invitation
procedures;  number and nature of participants;  selection criteria and procedures (when applicable);conditions applicable for travel and hotel accommodation and participants' allowances and medical
insurance;  communication with eligible countries/ customs territories authorities/Permanent Missions;
evaluation procedures and reporting;  and, lastly but not the least, training material and teaching
support material.
2. Training-of-Trainers programme
8. A special emphasis will progressively be put on complementary training addressing especially
the needs of trainers.  In that context, the first phase of the WTO Training-of-Trainers programme
(ToT) - launched in February 2002 and nearing completion - consisted in a series of 17 courses
addressed to WTO staff delivering training at the Headquarters or in the field.  The objective of this
first stage of the ToT programme was to improve the training efficiency of the WTO Secretariat with
a view to ensuring a higher quality response to the increasing training needs identified by the
Members.  The second phase of the ToT programme, to be initiated in principle in early 2003, will beaddressed to trainers in developing countries active in training on WTO-related matters.  Thought is
being given to combining this activity with a un iversity-networking programme that is also under
consideration.
3. Distance-learning programme
9. In terms of training delivery, the Institute continues to rely on human resources available at
the WTO and the training-support technology currently at its disposal.  It also draws on outside
expertise to complement existing human resources.  Projects involving modern communication
technology such as distance learning via Internet or video conferencing have been developed and
tested.  In this respect, the Institute is currently assessing  the internet-based pilot project that ran from
mid-June through July 2002.WT/BFA/W/83
Page 4
4. Co-operation between the WTO and the academic community
10. It is generally recognized that universities and other institutions of learning are strategically
well placed to diffuse knowledge and information on issues which are important to the civil society at
large, and that activities developed through the ac ademic community have an effective 'multiplier'
effect.  Consequently, the Institute had intended, also as part of its mandate, to enhance co-operationlinks between the WTO and the academic commun ity, with the general objective of assisting
developing countries in strengthening the capacity of their academic sectors to train and teach WTO
and WTO-related topics at universities and other institutions of learning.  Although the main focus of
such activities would have been placed on training  professors, thus seeking to ensure a 'multiplier'
effect, other complementary actions are also envisaged to address the academic public at large.
11. However, because of the lack of funding in 2002, the Institute has not been in a position to
deliver substantial results in this area, despite the very large number of contacts and offers receivedfrom universities and institutes of learning all over the world.  The Institute's ambitions have had,
therefore, to be scaled down considerably.  It woul d now be intended to proceed in a more modest and
less costly way by offering one-week training sessions for professors at the regional or sub-regional
level, in one university at a time, whereby full explanation of possible curricula would be presented
and accompanying didactic material supplied to the participants.
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