Japan is the world’s second-largest economy and the European Union’s fifth largest trading partner, while South Korea is the world’s twelfth economy, and the European Union is the prime source of investments in the country. This is why there are so many companies interested in ETP, the Executive Training Programme in Japan and Korea which is funded by the European Commission and organised by a consortium of five business schools: SDA Bocconi, SciencesPo in Paris, the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, Waseda in Tokyo, and Yonsei in Seoul. The programme is mainly designed for export managers, foreign markets/sales managers, and all those managers involved in sales and marketing in Asia.
The programme, which has been running in Japan since 1979, was extended to Korea in 2002 and its alumni now form a consistent network in both countries. It will be starting up again in March 2009 and applications may be submitted until 30 September at
www.etp.org.
Sponsored by their companies, the 60 participants (45 in Japan, 15 in Korea) will attend three intensive modules at the three European universities in order to become acquainted with the culture, business world and language of the two Asian countries. From June 2009, they will attend Waseda and Yonsei and they will end their experience with an internship experience in a local company.
The companies that have sponsored the participation of their staff in the past (there are now about a thousand alumni) have on average doubled their turnover from the area within the space of ten years.
Participation is only free of charge and enrolees will have 24,000 euro to cover living expenses in Japan or Korea.
