Université Laval’s Trade Missions Are Expanding

Mercredi 6 septembre 2017

Université Laval’s Trade Missions have the wind in their sails as they undertake to create a network of participating universities in 2017. For the last 20 years, some 40 development officers have travelled to various high-potential countries every year as part of these Missions to promote Québec internationally. Trade Missions director Geneviève Marcotte and newly appointed assistant development director Antoine Cauchon want to take on the challenge of  expansion. Based on the success of a recent Mexican mission to Québec organized by FSA ULaval in collaboration with the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), they wish to offer other universities the possibility of joining the effort to create a network by implementing the Trade Missions concept in other countries.

Université Laval’s Trade Missions have always been popular with students, as they provide them with an original, unique and tangible initiation to international trade. This  non-profit organization trains future officers for nine months and provides Québec businesses who want to penetrate new markets with professional and personalized services for three weeks to assist them in their efforts on foreign soil, across all management disciplines.

For 2018, Trade Missions are scheduled for China, Japan and Peru, as these countries have high development potential.

As of now, in addition to the ITESM, universities in South Africa, Chili and Colombia have shown interest in the concept, the training provided to future development officers and the experience students gain in a foreign country.