Why does international trade exist in the first place? Trace it back far enough and the answer sits in a basic economic problem economists call relative scarcity: no single country has the capability or capacity to produce every kind of product and service it needs, production costs differ sharply between countries because their environments differ, and the level of technology and development varies enough that true self-sufficiency is rarely possible. On top of that, international trade also grows out of surplus production — a source of especially high, fast profit for wealthier countries, while for mid-income countries it becomes a genuine way to raise citizens' standard of living.

Arab British Fellowship Training Academy offers this course to anyone who wants to understand the protocols that govern international trade and the international norms tied to them.

What you will understand after this course:

• The protocols behind foreign trade policy, and how foreign trade connects to every type of foreign investment.
• How international trade rules actually shape today's business reality, and the bilateral gains two countries can draw from trading with each other.
• How a country can develop its resources or specialise in a specific commodity to play the international trade game well — and how it can gain the most from both its imports and its exports.

Who should attend:

• Those planning to work in import and export.
• Students of commercial colleges and institutes, and business administration programmes.
• Anyone interested in e-commerce.
• Investors, office owners and venture capitalists.

Module 1: International Trade Fundamentals — What It Is and Why It Matters

• A general overview of international trade and why it matters.
• The main factors that drive and shape international trade.

Module 2: Objectives and Principles Behind International Trade Rules

• The objectives international trade rules are meant to achieve.
• The principles that govern international trade relations.

Module 3: How World Trade Operations Actually Run

• The operational steps and rules followed in world trade.
• The mechanisms and procedures used in international trade.

Module 4: Constraints, Evaluation and the Road Ahead

• The elements and constraints facing international trade processes.
• How to evaluate and keep developing the way international trade is conducted.