The e-learning course on trade and sustainable development goals is a self-paced training course. The course is open to anyone interested in trade and sustainable development issues. It employs a non-technical approach to build basic knowledge to understand the roles and limitations of trade and trade policy in promoting a country's achievement of the SDGs. Free certificates from the United Nations ESCAP will be available to participants who passed the module quizzes.

Goal

Develop a positive, aware, and critical attitude toward trade, trade liberalization, and globalization in contributing to sustainable development.

  • Understand the potential role of trade that can contribute to developing countries’ achievement of the SDGs.
  • Identify factors that inhibit the effective use of trade as a means of implementation.
  • Be aware of cross-cutting issues that challenge the effectiveness of trade as an instrument toward the SDGs.
  • Recognize the importance of the holistic policy approach as being crucial for ensuring trade is a powerful engine for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
  • This course is open to anyone interested in trade, globalization, and sustainable development.
  • Participants who work, study, or are interested in public policy and development will find the course particularly relevant.
  • This course uses a non-technical approach to provide essential knowledge to understand how trade and globalization can bring opportunities and challenges toward sustainable development.
  • This course consists of 15 modules: 4 mandatory introductory modules (A.1-A.4), 9 intermediate-level modules (B.1-B.4), and 2 modules on selected topics (C.1-C.2).
  • Each module has VDO lectures, which take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Participants can learn at their own pace.
  • Participants are encouraged to study the reference materials to deepen their knowledge. Please check the list of reading materials in the references and recommended readings section.
  • After completing the quizzes and achieving at least 75% scores, you will receive certificates from the United Nations ESCAP. Certificates will be sent to your registered email within 15 days:

  • An e-certificate of completing the mandatory introductory-level modules after passing the quiz for Part A
  • An e-certificate of completing the intermediate-level B.1 modules (trade, poverty, hunger, and inclusive growth) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part B.1
  • An e-certificate of completing the intermediate-level B.2 modules (trade, climate change, and sustainable growth) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part B.2
  • An e-certificate of completing the intermediate-level B.3 modules (trade, decent work, innovation, and responsible consumption) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part B.3
  • An e-certificate of completing the intermediate-level B.4 module (trade, institutions, and cooperation) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part B.4
  • An e-certificate of completing the selected topic C.1 module (trade, health, and pandemic) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part C.1
  • An e-certificate of completing the selected topic C.2 module (global value chains) after passing the quizzes for Part A and Part C.2
  • The course is accessible via ESCAP Community platform. Please click and register HERE

    For more information, please contact:[email protected]

    For other e-learning courses on trade policy, negotiation and facilitation, please click HERE

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    The online course focusing on Trade and SDGs is a collaboration between ESCAP and ARTNeT. The access to the course is free to the public and the content is chosen to provide an accessible learning on the transition from ‪the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), type process and rationale behind opting for a universal goal, and introduces the main linkages between trade and the SDGs. The three modules now form a basic level course and will be followed by more advanced and tailored courses to respond to capacity building needs in this substantive area.

    In this module, you will familiarize yourself with the concept of MDGs and SDGs and understand what is sustainable development.

    By the end of this module, you will be able to understand the relation between trade and the SDGs and you will know which SDGs contain trade-related targets.

    The goal of this module is twofold: first, to give you an overview of the trade-related Indicators connected to SDGs, and second, to understand some of the main issues in monitoring the progress of sustainable development.

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    Business Process Analysis is recommended as the first step to be taken before undertaking other trade facilitation measures related to the simplification, harmonization, and automation of trade procedures and documents. Indeed, it is important that a clear and detailed picture of the "as-is" business processes involved in importing or exporting be available, as it will provide a sound basis for the selection and prioritization of trade facilitation measures aimed at streamlining these processes. To assist in this, ESCAP, together with UNECE and UNNExT have developed a Guide to Business Process Analysis to Simplify Trade Procedures [English | Russian | Arabic] which provides a concise methodology for the elicitation and systematic documentation of existing trade procedures and processes.

    In addition, the E-Learning Series on Business Process Analysis for Trade Facilitation was developed based on the Guide to Business Process Analysis to Simplify Trade Procedures. The online course also includes the possibility of obtaining a BPA for Trade Facilitation certificate. For more information visit the page on Business Process Analysis for Trade Facilitation UNNExT website.

    In this module, you will familiarize yourself with the concept of Business Process Analysis and understand its relevance in the context of trade facilitation. The completion of this module is estimated at 20 minutes. Your time may be allocated as follows:

    • 10 minutes to watch the video
    • 10 minutes to read the reading material “Chapter 1: Trade Facilitation and Business Process Analysis” (pages 1-3) of the UNNExT BPA Guide

    By the end of this module, you will be able to understand UML notations and draw simple Use Case and Activity Diagrams. The completion of this module is estimated at 30-40 minutes. Your time may be allocated as follows:

    • 16 minutes to watch the video
    • 20 minutes to read “Chapter 2: Introduction to the Business Process Analysis” (pages 4-9) of the UNNExT BPA Guide

    The goal of this module is twofold: first, to give you an overview of all the steps needed to complete a BPA project and second, to give you tips and techniques to help you define your project scope. The completion of this module is estimated at about 50 minutes. Your time should be allocated as follows:

    This module will help you understand how to plan and define the timeline of your BPA project. The completion of this module is estimated at 30 minutes. Your time should be allocated as follows:

    • 13 minutes to watch the video
    • 17 minutes to read “Chapter 3: Guide to Business Process Analysis to simplify trade procedures” (pages 21- 25) of the UNNExT BPA Guide

    In this module, you will learn how to collect information on the “as-is” business processes and turn them into useful inputs for your project. The completion of this module is estimated at 50 minutes. Your time should be allocated as follows:

    • 20 minutes to watch the video
    • 30 minutes to read “Chapter 3: Guide to Business Process Analysis to simplify trade procedures” (pages 25-39)of the UNNExT BPA Guide

    By the end of this module, you should have acquired basic knowledge on how to analyze the “as-is” business processes and how to formulate recommendations. The completion of this module is estimated at 50 minutes. Your time should be allocated as follows:

    • 20 minutes to watch the video
    • 30 minutes to read “Chapter 3: Guide to Business Process Analysis to simplify trade procedures” (pages 39-51) of the UNNExT BPA Guide
    IMPORTANT: As part of the learning exercise, self-learners may review at least one existing BPA report of trade procedures in some details, e.g. the BPA of Thai Jasmine Rice Export provided in Annex to the UNNExT BPA Guide. At least 30 minutes may be allocated to reviewing one or more cases.

    This optional module goes beyond BPA and BPA project management and provides an introduction to the importance of monitoring and how to set up a trade and transport facilitation monitoring mechanism (TTFMM) that may incorporate BPA. Overall, the completion of this module is estimated at 35 minutes. Your time should be allocated as follows:

    Additional Resources

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