Export Academy offers a free online course for Ukrainian businesses, helping them increase exports to EU

Now representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)  can register for the online course "Export Academy."

The website of the CIVITTA independent management consultancy company reports.

What is the problem?

The economy of Ukraine, which heavily relies on exports, has suffered dramatically due to Russia's war that started in February 2022. According to data released by the state statistics service, Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 29.1 percent in 2022, the year Russia began its war. In the fourth quarter, the GDP contracted at an even faster pace due to Russia's destruction of energy infrastructure. Power outages severely impacted business activities, but the economy was sustained by infrastructure repairs, agricultural exports, and international aid.

What is the solution?

The Export Academy is a free online educational course for SMEs designed to help enterprises start working on the international market and increase exports to the EU.

The solution supports Ukrainian export and the economy amid the EU's decision to cancel tariffs for importing Ukrainian products.

How does it work?

The course comprises five workshops, a webinar, and individual business meetings with SMEs in the EU market.

The educational program will be helpful for those who are only planning to enter the international market and those who plan to expand their work network.

During the training, the participants will work out a detailed plan for entering the market in the EU. They will also have the opportunity of new partnerships with more than 150 SME participants from Azerbaijan, Moldova, Armenia, and Georgia.

The course is designed for representatives of SMEs with a registered small or medium-sized enterprise in one of the five countries of the Eastern Partnership: Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.

Participants must also have sufficient English to understand the workshop materials and communicate during the individual sessions.

The program includes five workshops:

• Assessment of readiness for export: export audit, risk management, practical tools for enterprise assessment.
• Market research: determination of market size and potential, key trends, and competitor mapping.
• Working with EaP Trade HelpDesk: an overview of the platform's capabilities.
• Developing an individual export strategy: identifying new markets and sales channels, pricing factors, and searching for partners.
• International marketing: adaptation of marketing strategy for new markets, development of sales strategy, interaction with customers in a new market.

To participate, businesses and entrepreneurs must apply to the CIVITTA website by May 12, 2023. The EU4Business program and Eurochambres Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry support the course.