What is the ITS?
The WITA/GWU Intensive Trade Seminar is a two-day overview of how the US Government formulates and enforces trade policy. The panels and speakers of the seminar provide unique opportunities for attendees to increase their professional knowledge base and broaden their network of contacts by learning the nuts and bolts of trade policy making. The WITA/GWU Intensive Trade Seminar brings current issues in trade policy to life. Participants will interact with career trade professionals, pose questions directly to policy makers, and learn in depth about the ever-shifting trade landscape. Attendees will come away not just understanding the trade policy-making process, but just as importantly, knowing its key components and key players.
Who should attend?
The two-day Intensive Trade Seminar is especially geared toward newly arrived embassy staff working on economic and trade issues. Others who will benefit include private sector guests over see ing government affairs, U.S. Government members wanting to brush up on their trade policy making, graduate students* seeking a career in trade policy, others new to the trade policy field, and anyone serving the import/export community. Due to space constraints, the Intensive Trade Seminar is not open to the press.
What topics are covered in the panels?
The opening panels will provide an overview of trade policy responsibilities in Congress and in agencies across the US Government. This framework will provide the context for the remaining panels of the two-day program. Other topics to be examined include policy monitoring and dispute settlement; enforcement and remedies; FTA’s and other trade agreements; and much more.
Who are the speakers?
Speakers are career trade policymakers from the US Government and Capitol Hill, the private sector, NGO’s, and other players in the trade policy arena. We carefully select speakers with years of experience on their given topic, as well as an ability to convey that experience clearly to students.
When and where does the ITS take place?
The Intensive Trade Seminar will be held in September at the GWU Elliott School of International Affairs. Our classroom is the state-of- the-art State Room, on the 7th Floor of the Elliott School building at 1957 E St. NW — across from the State Dept, and blocks from USTR, Commerce, and other key trade policy making agencies.
Lunch and Breakfast included!
Certificate of Achievement is available for attendees who complete the entire two-day seminar.
Interested in Past Intensive Trade Seminars?
Click on the links below to see highlights from our past Intensive Trade Seminars.