To successfully launch the WCO SIE Scholarship Programme, ideally in September 2022, with the financial support of CCF-Korea, the Capacity Building Directorate sent out a survey on 15th June 2022 to identify the needs of SIEs around the globe.
Taking into account those challenges faced by SIEs addressed in the WCO Guidance for Customs administrations in Small Island Economies, the survey aims to capture their capacity building needs and make them relevant to the curriculum of the Scholarship.
Once the ongoing procurement process is completed in June, fifteen Customs officials from SIEs will be selected and invited after a screening process for their study in a chosen university. The programme will provide practical information and theoretical frameworks to support them in understanding the linkage between Customs policy, administrations and the socio-economic backdrop of developing countries.
A three-pronged approach will be taken to accomplish the objectives of the programme and improve the insufficient human resource capacity in SIEs. The curriculum holds a wide array of courses on international Economics, trade regulation, introductory data analytics, risk management and other essential subjects ranging from introductory courses to practical courses in the Customs context. Domain experts, professors and WCO staff will be invited to deliver lectures on these topics.
The WCO plans to continue providing varied scholarship programmes for topics of interest for officials from developing Member administrations.
For more information, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.