VUB sends master’s students on international trade mission

In the spring of 2024, about 30 master’s students at VUB will depart on two trade missions to Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire. The missions, in collaboration with Solvay Initiative Group (Inisol), give students the chance to gain experience and apply the knowledge they’ve acquired in previous years. The university’s aim is to teach students the entrepreneurial qualities they need and to encourage entrepreneurship.

Final-year students in commercial engineering at Vrije Universiteit Brussel have been going on international trade missions in their final semester since 1991. They work with a number of Belgian businesses to carry out market research, identify potential suppliers and clients or organise on-site internal controls at branches of the business.

Since the 2019-2020 academic year, the mission has also been open to master’s students from other disciplines, including business and technology, international business, applied economics, communication sciences, (international) law, bioengineering and photonics. The team is led by experienced academics such as Professor Michaël Dooms and Professor Magali Geerts, with the support of Flanders Investment & Trade, the Belgian Embassy, the Foreign Trade Agency and an extensive alumni network.

Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire

This year, the 34th edition of the trade mission, students are exploring two promising markets: Kenya and Côte d'Ivoire. The choice is intentional, explains Professor Michaël Dooms.

“Kenya is an African superpower known for its thriving economic activities, with a focus on agriculture, healthcare, innovation, construction, infrastructure and renewable energy. Côte d’Ivoire, in turn, has one of the highest economic growth rates in West Africa and has made strong progress through investments in infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors. The trade missions ensure that students can develop their practical and entrepreneurial skills in an international context.”

The VUB trade missions have often led to lasting collaborations, and the formula remains very popular with students. Businesses also have many reasons to take part, including market research, marketing mix analysis, identification of potential suppliers and clients, exploration of strategic possibilities and site engineering. Flanders Investment & Trade encourages these activities through subsidies. Criteria for participation can be found on the Inisol website.

Practical information

• Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: 4-22 March 2024
• Nairobi, Kenya: 25 March-12 April 2024

Contact

• Inas Djelloul, project leader Kenya
  ​trademission.inisol@vub.be
  ​0484 41 90 09
  ​Maarten Ferdi J Hermans, project leader Côte d’Ivoire
  ​trademission.inisol@vub.be
  ​0475 64 82 71
• Michael Dooms
  ​michael.dooms@vub.ac.be
  ​0477 606 132
• Fanny Soyeur, coordinator
  ​fanny.soyeur@vub.be
  ​0478 59 87 00

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