GTAP University (GTAP-U): 2026 GTAP Modeling Trade Policy (MTP) Course

2026 GTAP Modeling Trade Policy (MTP) Course

"Applied Analysis on Trade Policy Instruments"

Dates/Deadlines (USA Eastern Time Zone)

Course Application	April 20 – July 26
Enrollment	Late August
GTAP MTP Course	October 12 – November 29

General Information

Dates:

October 12 – November 29, 2026

Location:

GTAP MTP is delivered fully online. There is no onsite component to this course.

Offered by:

Center for Global Trade Analysis, Purdue University

Registration Fees:

$2,190	Professional (Developed Country)
$1,645	Professional (Developing Country)
$1095	Student (Developed Country)
$550	Student (Developing Country)

Course Content
Objective Trade policy is increasingly used as a strategic instrument to advance a wide range of national objectives, not only market access and competitiveness, but also supply security, resilience, strategic industries, and broader national interest goals. Governments face overlapping priorities such as managing trade imbalances, responding to shocks, and designing targeted tariff and non-tariff measures (NTMs) that align with domestic policy constraints and international commitments. The GTAP Modeling Trade Policy (MTP) Course is designed to provide professionals and students with hands-on, applied training in the analysis of modern trade policy using the GTAP computable general equilibrium model (version 7). The course provides participants with an opportunity to develop practical skills in the design of policy experiments, the implementation of changes in tariff and non-tariff barriers, and the interpretation of model results for policy-relevant insights. The curriculum emphasizes an intuitive treatment of core economic theory, and provides structured, guided experience in running the standard GTAP Model within the RunGTAP software environment. Learning culminates in team-based research projects in which participants frame a real-world policy question, implement the relevant tariff and NTM scenarios, and communicate results in a way that supports decision-making. By the end of the course, participants will have strengthened their applied capacity to assess the economy-wide and sectoral implications of tariff and non-tariff policy options, including preferential trade agreement- style (PTA) liberalization scenarios or tariff hikes where relevant, within a broader trade policy context. During the online course, participants will: consider the potential impacts of trade policies, including on GDP, trade, factors of production and sectoral production – connecting applied model results to trade theories operationalize the modelling of different aspects of trade policies within the GTAP CGE model, including tariff and non-tariff barriers learn about different approaches to modelling non-tariff measures and their implications for importing and exporting countries learn how to interpret general equilibrium model results, including the impact of alternative closures Structure The course is delivered fully online and supported by the textbook, Introduction to Computable General Equilibrium Models, 3e, the eBook version of which, as well as all other necessary course software and materials, will be provided to participants. Since participants will be located all around the world, there are no set meeting times for the course, but instructors may schedule periodic, online check-in sessions as needed. Learning and communication take place through active discussions among the participants and instructors, which are carried out as asynchronous, threaded conversations on the classroom bulletin board, and through virtual team work on collaborative projects and online meetings facilitated by the instructors. Content Overview Week 1 - "Getting Started" Participants download and familiarize themselves with the course website, material, and software Participants are encouraged to review materials on the RunGTAP software Review uploading a version in RunGTAP and viewing the database Review how to construct a numeraire experiment in RunGTAP Week 2 - "Analysis of trade policies and Tariffs" Understand the welfare effects of trade taxes Learn to construct a simple tariff experiment and view results Learn to construct a PTA experiment in which bilateral tariffs are eliminated Learn to identify trade creation and trade diversion Learn to analyze the results of a PTA experiment by examining some of the key variables and tracing through the impacts using AnalyseGE Learn to implement and analyze the results of a closure swap Week 3 - "NTMs in GTAP" Learn about econometric approaches to estimating the AVEs of NTMs Learn how to incorporate the AVE of an NTM into the GTAP Data Base using Altertax Learn how to use subtotals to decompose and compare results Learn to construct an experiment in which NTMs are reduced in RunGTAP Weeks 4 - "New Approaches" Learn about the alternative mechanisms used for depicting NTMs in the standard GTAP Model Compare alternative modelling mechanisms and their implications for assessing the effects of reductions in NTMs Weeks 5-6 - "Group Research Project" As part of the research project participants will be provided a GTAP Data Base aggregation and will develop their own questions, shocks, closure and applications. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, try out various tools and think critically about their scenarios. Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas, as well as look at various papers to get a feel for what a good CGE analysis entails. Week 7 - "Wrap-Up and Evaluation" Course evaluation Time Commitment Participants should expect to spend approximately 10-12 hours/week on this course.

Course Content

Objective

Trade policy is increasingly used as a strategic instrument to advance a wide range of national objectives, not only market access and competitiveness, but also supply security, resilience, strategic industries, and broader national interest goals. Governments face overlapping priorities such as managing trade imbalances, responding to shocks, and designing targeted tariff and non-tariff measures (NTMs) that align with domestic policy constraints and international commitments.

The GTAP Modeling Trade Policy (MTP) Course is designed to provide professionals and students with hands-on, applied training in the analysis of modern trade policy using the GTAP computable general equilibrium model (version 7). The course provides participants with an opportunity to develop practical skills in the design of policy experiments, the implementation of changes in tariff and non-tariff barriers, and the interpretation of model results for policy-relevant insights. The curriculum emphasizes an intuitive treatment of core economic theory, and provides structured, guided experience in running the standard GTAP Model within the RunGTAP software environment. Learning culminates in team-based research projects in which participants frame a real-world policy question, implement the relevant tariff and NTM scenarios, and communicate results in a way that supports decision-making. By the end of the course, participants will have strengthened their applied capacity to assess the economy-wide and sectoral implications of tariff and non-tariff policy options, including preferential trade agreement- style (PTA) liberalization scenarios or tariff hikes where relevant, within a broader trade policy context.

During the online course, participants will:

consider the potential impacts of trade policies, including on GDP, trade, factors of production and sectoral production – connecting applied model results to trade theories
operationalize the modelling of different aspects of trade policies within the GTAP CGE model, including tariff and non-tariff barriers
learn about different approaches to modelling non-tariff measures and their implications for importing and exporting countries
learn how to interpret general equilibrium model results, including the impact of alternative closures

Structure
The course is delivered fully online and supported by the textbook, Introduction to Computable General Equilibrium Models, 3e, the eBook version of which, as well as all other necessary course software and materials, will be provided to participants. Since participants will be located all around the world, there are no set meeting times for the course, but instructors may schedule periodic, online check-in sessions as needed. Learning and communication take place through active discussions among the participants and instructors, which are carried out as asynchronous, threaded conversations on the classroom bulletin board, and through virtual team work on collaborative projects and online meetings facilitated by the instructors.

Content Overview

Week 1 - "Getting Started"
- Participants download and familiarize themselves with the course website, material, and software
- Participants are encouraged to review materials on the RunGTAP software
- Review uploading a version in RunGTAP and viewing the database
- Review how to construct a numeraire experiment in RunGTAP
Week 2 - "Analysis of trade policies and Tariffs"
- Understand the welfare effects of trade taxes
- Learn to construct a simple tariff experiment and view results
- Learn to construct a PTA experiment in which bilateral tariffs are eliminated
- Learn to identify trade creation and trade diversion
- Learn to analyze the results of a PTA experiment by examining some of the key variables and tracing through the impacts using AnalyseGE
- Learn to implement and analyze the results of a closure swap
Week 3 - "NTMs in GTAP"
- Learn about econometric approaches to estimating the AVEs of NTMs
- Learn how to incorporate the AVE of an NTM into the GTAP Data Base using Altertax
- Learn how to use subtotals to decompose and compare results
- Learn to construct an experiment in which NTMs are reduced in RunGTAP
Weeks 4 - "New Approaches"
- Learn about the alternative mechanisms used for depicting NTMs in the standard GTAP Model
- Compare alternative modelling mechanisms and their implications for assessing the effects of reductions in NTMs
Weeks 5-6 - "Group Research Project"
- As part of the research project participants will be provided a GTAP Data Base aggregation and will develop their own questions, shocks, closure and applications. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, try out various tools and think critically about their scenarios.
- Participants are encouraged to bring their own ideas, as well as look at various papers to get a feel for what a good CGE analysis entails.
Week 7 - "Wrap-Up and Evaluation"
- Course evaluation

Time Commitment
Participants should expect to spend approximately 10-12 hours/week on this course.

Application

Prerequisites
Participants are expected to have completed the GTAP 101 Course and/or GTAP Short Course, or have working experience with the standard GTAP Model prior to application.

Application July 26 Deadline

Individuals interested in taking this course must apply on the GTAP website. Applications will be reviewed after the deadline and those individuals accepted will receive an email detailing how to register and submit payment. Please note that application does not guarantee acceptance.

Registration Rates
The registration fees (in USD) for this course are detailed below and include the course textbook (eBook version) as well as instruction during the online course. The eBook version of the course textbook will be sent to registrants the week before the course starts.

Registration Rates (USD)	Developed Country	Developing Country¹
Professionals	$2,190	$1,645
Students²	$1,095	$550

Rate Details and Eligibility Requirements

Developing Country Rates - In order to be eligible for a discounted, developing country rate, applicants must currently be residing in a country listed on the "GTAP Developing Countries List".
Student Rates - Student rates are only available to current, full-time students. Post-docs and students concurrently working in any professional capacity are not eligible for these rates. Students will be required to provide their most recent transcript and proof of current, full-time student status/enrollment when applying.

Cancellations
All cancellations must be emailed to Ginger Batta. Registered participants that are unable to participate in the course will receive a 50% refund until September 27, 2026. No refunds will be issued after this date. Deferments to later courses are not allowed.

System Requirements

Participant computers and setup must meet the following specifications.

Computer Requirements
- Windows 7 or later
  (Macs can be used, but users must either be able to dual boot to Windows or install/access Windows through a virtual machine. Note that technical support for Macs will not be provided.)
- 32-bit or higher
- i5 or higher processor
- 500MB free hard drive space
- 1GB RAM
- Administrator access (or ability to have course software installed)
Other Requirements
- Reliable internet connection (broadband recommended)
- Microsoft Office
- Adobe Reader or Acrobat
- Zip utility program

Note on YouTube
During this course, some online materials are hosted on YouTube; therefore, participants must have the ability to access YouTube in order to view these videos. If a participant is unable to access YouTube, they must have access to a VPN or remote computer as video source files will not be provided.

Contact Information
Ginger Batta (gbatta@purdue.edu) Principal Program Manager Center for Global Trade Analysis Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University 403 Mitch Daniels Blvd., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2056 USA

Course Instructors
Dr. Terrie Walmsley is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and Director of ImpactECON, a consulting firm specializes in applied trade global analysis using general equilibrium modeling. Terrie has undertaken numerous trade policy studies and developed several models, including incorporating supply chains, non-tariff measures, migration, dynamics and income inequality into both Gempack- and Gams-based models. Her clients have included more than a dozen international agencies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among others. Terrie previously served as the Director of the Center for Global Trade Analysis and Associate Professor at Purdue University. As Director of the Center for Global Trade Analysis, Terrie was responsible for overseeing the operations and strategic direction of the Center including: the release of versions six, seven, and eight of the GTAP Data Base; various graduate and non-graduate educational offerings; and numerous research projects and grants. In 2012 she published, as co-editor with Dr. Elena Ianchovichina from the World Bank, a book documenting the Dynamic GTAP model. In 2015, Terrie was inducted into the GTAP Hall of Fame for her contributions to the GTAP network and modeling. Dr. Anna Strutt is a Professor of Economics at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Anna's primary area of research expertise is in international policy analysis, particularly quantitative analysis using global general equilibrium models. As well as publishing numerous academic papers, she has served as a consultant or expert advisor to a range of national and international organizations, including: the Asian Development Bank; Asian Development Bank Institute; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA); EU-VietNam Multilateral Trade Assistance Project; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Mekong Institute, Thailand; New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; and the World Bank. She was a GTAP Research Fellow, (2015-2022) and is currently a GTAP Consortium Member At Large. Anna is also a member of International Steering Committee for Pacific Trade and Development (PAFTAD) and an advisor to UNESCAP's Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT).

Course Instructors

Dr. Terrie Walmsley is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and Director of ImpactECON, a consulting firm specializes in applied trade global analysis using general equilibrium modeling. Terrie has undertaken numerous trade policy studies and developed several models, including incorporating supply chains, non-tariff measures, migration, dynamics and income inequality into both Gempack- and Gams-based models. Her clients have included more than a dozen international agencies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among others. Terrie previously served as the Director of the Center for Global Trade Analysis and Associate Professor at Purdue University. As Director of the Center for Global Trade Analysis, Terrie was responsible for overseeing the operations and strategic direction of the Center including: the release of versions six, seven, and eight of the GTAP Data Base; various graduate and non-graduate educational offerings; and numerous research projects and grants. In 2012 she published, as co-editor with Dr. Elena Ianchovichina from the World Bank, a book documenting the Dynamic GTAP model. In 2015, Terrie was inducted into the GTAP Hall of Fame for her contributions to the GTAP network and modeling.

Dr. Anna Strutt is a Professor of Economics at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Anna's primary area of research expertise is in international policy analysis, particularly quantitative analysis using global general equilibrium models. As well as publishing numerous academic papers, she has served as a consultant or expert advisor to a range of national and international organizations, including: the Asian Development Bank; Asian Development Bank Institute; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA); EU-VietNam Multilateral Trade Assistance Project; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Mekong Institute, Thailand; New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; and the World Bank. She was a GTAP Research Fellow, (2015-2022) and is currently a GTAP Consortium Member At Large. Anna is also a member of International Steering Committee for Pacific Trade and Development (PAFTAD) and an advisor to UNESCAP's Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT).

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 14, 2026