The Illicit Trade Winter School

The Illicit Trade Winter School course pierces the veil of secrecy around issues related to the dark side of globalization and teaches students about illicit financing and trading; not only through theory and book study, but by learning the actual practices and techniques criminals, terrorists, and dictators use to obscure their profits and evade accountability for their actions, and the corresponding techniques to counter them.

This exciting winter course is the first of its kind in teaching illicit trade in a holistic and practically useful way. Students will learn how to set up offshore companies and bank accounts, obscure the beneficial ownership of assets, exploit the loop-holes of dual-use goods legal systems, and identify vulnerabilities in particular institutions, countries, and jurisdictions. The winter school includes academic and practical learning about illicit finance, trafficking, and trade, and expert examination into strategies and practices about how to combat illicit trade.

The Winter School on Illicit Trade is planned to offer students and practitioners an intercultural experience in this challenging time. We devised the structure of the classes in a way that anyone with internet access can join regardless of the time zone. The lectures and seminars will take place from 3-7 pm CET. This is to create a 12-hours cycle during which students and practitioners can attend the classes, plan their workload to a time that is most suitable, and interact with other students to complete the assignments. We welcome and encourage students that live outside of Europe to apply and take advantage of our global Winter School on illicit trade, unique in its genre.