Prof Lucas Ferraz, from the Fundação Getulio Vargas and the São Paulo School of Economics in Brazil, visited the NWU from 5-9 September 2016. Among his various engagements that week, he conducted a two-day introductory training workshop for School of Economics staff and PhD students on the use of GTAP research. GTAP, which stands for the Global Trade Analysis Project, involves using general equilibrium models to analyse trade issues. Prof Ferraz gave the group a taste of what the GTAP model can do and also showed an interesting simulation of the impact of a reduction in non-tariff barriers on trade between the EU-27 and Sub-Saharan African countries. Afterwards, Prof Ferraz spent some time with those PhD students who are examining trade facilitation from different perspectives. On 8 September 2016, Lucas participated in the TRADE research entity's postgraduate colloquium and provided valuable inputs into the work of two postgraduate students, guiding them in how to incorporate GTAP into their research.

During his visit to the university, Lucas also presented a paper ‘Trade Facilitation, Global Value Chains and Income Inequality’ at a seminar and held several discussions with Proffs Sonja Grater and Ermie Steenkamp on areas of possible research collaboration for 2017.