The plethora of complexities involved in building the WTU and its global platform in today’s world require the organization to be flexible, creative and highly entrepreneurial. There are many different challenging dynamics involved in the building process. Things change constantly over time, and in relation to which global region it is targeting. It is vital for the WTU to continually review and refine its strategic direction, while holding its sights on the greater picture and various challenges that are always forthcoming from the four corners of the world.

Recognizing these dynamics, the WTU Global Secretariat has been focusing on strategic development activities since its launching ceremony in 2001, including:

• Assembling a strong management team 

• Attracting key players for key positions on WTU’s Global Governing Council and other key positions

• Reviewing proposals and conducting due diligence for the location to establish the global headquarters for the WTU

• Preparing for approval of credential granting in Canada

• Conducting extensive issues-based research for academic and executive learning program design

• Strategic partnership development at a global level, including MOU’s with key global agencies such as UNCTAD and UNDP.

• Conducting strategic due diligence in selection process for possible WTU country level campus/program locations, including China, Bermuda, Chile, Brazil, South Africa

• Conducting studies related to trade education within Canada and other global regions

1. World Tourism Marketing Summit, in Nanjing, China, November 20-23rd, 2004. Over 400 delegates from 44 countries attended the first global summit on tourism marketing. WTMS is an integral part of the World Trade Forum. The next WTMS event is now scheduled for 2006 in Beijing. See http://wtms.wtuglobal.org.

2. "The Lifetime Achievement Award - 2004" presented at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD XI in Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 13-18 2004.

3. China Executive Development Program in Insurance, Corporate Sponsor: ACE Limited, ACE Global Headquarters, Hamilton, Bermuda, May 16-22, 2004. (Twenty-five senior Chinese insurance regulators participated in the program.)

4. World Summit of Indigenous Entrepreneurs In honour of the United Nations Decade of the World's Indigenous People, Toronto, Canada, August 18-20, 2003.

5. The 8th World Summit of Young Entrepreneurs – An Integral Part of the 3rd UN Conference on Least Developed Countries in Partnership with UNCTAD  - "A New Way Forward: Interational Joint Venture Opportunities Through Export Market & Digital Collaboration"  - European Union, European Parliament, Brussels, 17 May to 20 May, 2001. 

6. APEC Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum – "Building Common Prosperity by Meeting Challenges of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs in the New Economy" - A China and Canada Joint Initiative, Beijing and Shanghai, China, July 9 – 14, 2001.

In collaboration with the UN Global Compact and the Secretary General’s Executive Offices, the WTU Global Secretariat developed a series of online learning modules to increase knowledge on the Global Compact’s key principles for environment, human rights, labor and corruption. The WTU was named as UN GC’s official focal point for Canada, and for SME's

Research has been conducted in collaboration with WTU’s private sector partners and leading global multi-lateral agencies on a range of 15 different areas that are the key trade related topics and areas of the greatest capacity building requirements today. The topic areas include energy, insurance, technology, agric-exports, tourism, mining and resources, sustainable management, banking and finance, and investment.

A series of position papers have been produced outlining key trends, opportunities and challenges with respect to capacity building in these trade related areas. These position papers have been currently tailored for China’s contextual dynamics, challenges and opportunities, and will be continually refined and revised according to the WTU’s target country focus. As the WTU intends to maintain its global operations in Canada, versions of these papers will also be produced and adapted for the Canadian context, and the region within Canada that it chooses to locate in. New versions of the papers will also be produced for other target countries, such as Brazil, Bermuda, and South Africa for example, that are currently being considered for WTU campus locations over the next three to five years.

These position papers provide the foundation and rationale for the WTU’s global academic platform, and the corresponding range of topics and learning programs it will offer in various global locations. They will continually be refined and revised to ensure their timely relevance to the world trade issues of the day, while providing a consistent focus on the heart of the capacity building requirements for emerging economies worldwide.

The WTU’s Ecademy, an online training delivery platform was also designed and developed over this period. WTU’s team developed its own proprietary online learning software technology to support its libraries of learning modules pertaining to trade related topics and issues. The WTU has also developed 60 modules that are currently available online, ranging from strategic management and marketing to international trade basics and trade finance.

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