eBSI's Background

The eBSI Export Academy was established by a group of highly motivated International Trade Practitioners who had previously been heavily involved in traditional International Trade Training with Ireland's leading private sector export development bodies, the Irish Exporter's Association and its Academic and Research arm, the Institute of International Trade of Ireland. The need to provide practical training, networking and support to export practitioners and bankers was identified from an early stage. To meet this need a highly practical and competence based International Trade e-learning programme was developed utilising the latest elearning technology and bringing together highly experienced International Trade Trainers and Practitioners onto one online platform where information and best international practice could be effectively disseminated and benchmarked for the benefit of the global exporting community.

Mr. Michael Ahern, TD, Minister for International Trade of Ireland, during his Keynote Address formally opening the 2004 eBSI Award Evening said "The ITS accreditation programme, in conjunction with the Irish Exporters Association, makes an important contribution to the objective of building strong professional indigenous Irish companies capable of trading successfully in sometimes difficult global markets. This is especially important in a small open economy, such as ours, where Irish companies are so dependant on exporting to increase market share and ensure survival".

The eBSI draws upon over 60 years of experience in export training and development fostered by the Irish Exporters Association and the Institute of International Trade of Ireland of which eBSI's Chairman, Mr. Colum MacDonnell is former Chief Executive. Both eBSI's Chairman, Mr. MacDonnell and eBSI's First Director, Mr. Vincent O'Brien are formal examiners for the Institute of International Trade of Ireland.

The Irish Exporters Association was founded in 1951 and has developed an exceptional track record in the field of international trade education.

	Many prominent international trade leaders have benefited from these professional examinations. Mr. Peter Sutherland, former Director General of GATT, graduated through the professional examinations of the Irish Exporters Association.
Peter Sutherland, Director General of GATT for the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations with Colum MacDonnell, Chairman of eBSI and Mr. Lawrence Crowley, President of the Irish Exporters Association 1993-1995.

The Institute of International Trade of Ireland is responsible for the development of research into trade-related issues. Its primary mission is the development of accredited and certified international trade education.

Irish exports and international trade development has advanced at an exceptional pace in the past 50 years.

• Total Irish exports in 1951 were IEP 72.4 million (EUR 91.92 million)
• Total Irish exports in 2007 were EUR 154 billion

This progress in advancing exports has been achieved on the back of sound economic trade development policies together with the fostering of the highest professional standards in all aspects of international trade.

Irish companies hold the specialist skills of international trade in high regard. International trade is seen as the key driver of economic prosperity with exports of goods and services now accounting for almost 90% of Irish Gross Domestic Product.

"A main thrust of the Institute's work is to encourage high professional standards and appropriately accredited qualifications on the part of those engaged in exporting. Exporting is just as much a profession as accounting or engineering. It is a specialist subject."
Sir George Quigley, Chairman, Institute of International Trade of Ireland Chairman, Ulster Bank Group	Sir George Quigley with Vincent O'Brien, Director of eBSI at the launch of the ITS Accreditation Programme at Dublin Port.

The success achieved by the Institute of International Trade of Ireland in turning out highly trained International Trade Specialist accredited professionals is acknowledged on a global scale. Year on year the Institute is seeing significant increases in the number of foreign nationals travelling to Ireland to undertake the international trade specialist study programmes of the Institute of International Trade of Ireland.

It was therefore fitting that the Institute of International Trade of Ireland became the first Academic Institution to formally accredit the e-learning programmes of the electronic Business School International.

	"Over the years numerous successful business people such as Peter Sutherland and Michael Duffy, Chief Executive of the Irish Food Export Promotion Agency, Bord Bia have graduated from our programmes." Mr. John Whelan, Director, Institute of International Trade of Ireland
Vincent O'Brien, Director eBSI, Maria McMonagle, Institute Graduate, John Whelan, Director IITI and Roderick Brennan, Director of Development, IITI at the 2001 Institute Graduation Ceremony at Ulster Bank Group Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

Through the application of advanced e-learning technology it is now possible for students to achieve accreditation and certification regardless of any geographic or physical restriction or location.

eBSI develops the essential skills and expertise to advance careers and business opportunities in the world of international trade.

eBSI facilitates the skills and knowledge development process through the practical use of supported online learning tools and methodologies.

eBSI tutors are acknowledged international experts in their specialist fields of international trade.

eBSI tutors act as learning guides who actively guide learners along each step of the learner's mission towards the achievement of learner-centred export development goals.

Success Criteria

eBSI takes every new student which signs up for the International Trade Specialist Accreditation Programme as a specific business development task, the success of which will be measured by four key criteria:

• Successful graduates will have gained the 4 key specialist skills of International Trade through completion of the four competence based development modules of the ITS Accreditation.
• Successful graduates will have been incorporated into an online learning and export skills support network spaning 6 continents and with hundreds of experinced trade practitioners who have all previously graduated from programmes of the eBSI.
• Successful graduates will have contributed to the export skills development of their peers through the online networking and support infrastructure of the eBSI Online Campus.

If you would like to find out more information about any of our courses feel free to complete the form below and we will contact you to will any info you need to decide to enrol in our courses.

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