GTAP University (GTAP-U): Home
GTAP University (GTAP-U)
Expanding access and improving educational and career opportunities for students and professionals, worldwide
GTAP-U is the formal education initiative of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) and builds on the Center's three decades of teaching experience in the field of global economic analysis. The goal of GTAP-U is to expand access and improve educational and career opportunities for students and professionals, worldwide.
GTAP-U offers courses on computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels, with specialized topics for in-depth policy analysis and advanced economic models. CGE models are widely used in the public and private sectors to inform strategic economic policy decisions—among the most prominent are trade, fiscal, and environmental policies. As such, they garner strong interest from national and international organizations, government agencies, consultancies, as well as research institutions.
GTAP-U delivers high-quality theoretical and practical training in applied CGE modeling using the GTAP suite of models and data bases. Aimed towards building human capital in global economic analysis, GTAP-U courses help develop critical skills for independent economic research; connect individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise across the globe; provide mentoring opportunities for training and capacity-building in institutions; and generate economic discussions that often lead to research opportunities in the global economic analysis community.
GTAP-U Education Mission and Goals
Build Human Capital Deliver high quality, practical training in applied CGE modeling using the GTAP framework
Broaden Participation Include more under-represented and under-resourced individuals, institutions, and countries
Quality Assurance Maintain and improve course quality with new technologies, regular reviews, and content updates
Connect Network Provide learning, mentoring, and teaching opportunities for the CGE modeling community
Strong GTAP Brand Strengthen GTAP brand as a CGE-hub that fosters continued collaboration in education and research
GTAP-U Course Catalog
Click the levels below to explore the GTAP-U course catalog.
Introductory
GTAP 101 Course
"Introduction to Computable General Equilibrium Modeling in the GTAP Framework"
The objective of the GTAP 101 Course is to engage participants in an active, team-based process of learning about the GTAP computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and its use in applied economic policy analysis.
GTAP 101 Course Awarded Purdue University Online Excellence Award
April 2024 - The GTAP-U instruction team of Zeynep Akgul, Ginger Batta, and Amanda Countryman were awarded a prestigious Purdue University Online Excellence Award for Innovative Online Use of Technology for their use of AI text-to-speech software in the GTAP 101 curriculum. This recognition highlights GTAP-U’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge online learning experiences.
Advanced
GTAP Dynamic Short Course
"Applied General Equilibrium Analysis using a Dynamic Multi-Region Model"
The objective of the GTAP Dynamic Short Course is to introduce participants to dynamic economic analysis in an applied general equilibrium setting where participants leave with the capability of conducting and analyzing their own dynamic simulations.
| Course Type: |
Hybrid (Online + Residential) |
| Duration: |
6 weeks online + 5 days residential |
| Prerequisites: |
Courses on multi-region general equilibrium analysis or completion of a significant piece of analysis using a dynamic multi-region GE model or another, comparable general equilibrium model |
| Request Info: |
contactgtap@purdue.edu |
Specialized
GTAP Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA) Course
"Applied Policy Analysis: Course on Preferential Trade Agreements"
The GTAP PTA Course is designed to provide professionals and students with hands-on, applied training in the analysis of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) using the GTAP computable general equilibrium model where they will develop applied skills in the design of PTA experiments, the implementation of changes in tariff and non-tariff barriers, and the analysis of model results.
| Course Type: |
Online |
| Duration: |
6 weeks |
| Prerequisites: |
Completion of the GTAP 101 and/or GTAP Short Course |
| Request Info: |
contactgtap@purdue.edu |
GTAP Firm Heterogeneity (GTAP-HET) Course
"Introduction to Firm Heterogeneity in the GTAP Model"
The GTAP-HET Course is designed to provide professional economists and Masters/PhD students with the tools and skills necessary to use advanced trade theories in trade policy analysis such as the Armington, Krugman and Melitz models.
| Course Type: |
Online |
| Duration: |
7 weeks |
| Prerequisites: |
Completion of the GTAP 101 and/or GTAP Short Course, or working experience with the standard GTAP Model |
| Request Info: |
contactgtap@purdue.edu |
Interdisciplinary
SIMPLE-G Course
"Multi-scale Analysis of Sustainability Issues Using the SIMPLE-G Model"
The SIMPLE-G course is designed to provide students comprehensive training in the equilibrium modeling tools for economic as well as interdisciplinary analysis of sustainability issues across local, national and global scales. The SIMPLE model is designed particularly for interdisciplinary research. Many participants are not economists, but would like to learn some economic modeling skills or understand the language.
| Course Type: |
Hybrid (Online + Residential) |
| Duration: |
4 weeks online + 1 week residential |
| Request Info: |
liu207@purdue.edu |
Free Training Materials
A number of free training videos is available on YouTube through the link below.
Free Training Videos
SMART Handout: An Innovative Tool to Empower Applied General Equilibrium Teaching
Instructors of applied general equilibrium (AGE) courses usually face an important challenge: how to effectively and efficiently teach a large number of complex materials that are necessary for AGE analysis, including general equilibrium theory, producer and consumer theory, equational expression and model implementation. To overcome this challenge, in this paper we propose an innovative teaching tool, the SMART handout, which is a Wiki-style interactive handout that connects materials from AGE and several prerequisite courses and forms a knowledge network for easier cross-reference and deeper understanding. We take the Global Trade Analysis Project model as an example to demonstrate how a SMART handout is developed and applied in AGE teaching. This innovative tool can be generalized to other AGE courses, thereby contributing to building the capacity of future AGE researchers.
To use the SMART Handout locally on your computer, download and unzip the supplementary materials from the Journal of Global Economic Analysis website, unzip the "SMART Handout for GTAP.zip" file, and open the "AGEC618.html" file with your preferred web browser.
Please note that the current version of the SMART handout is based on the "classic" GTAP Model (Version 6.2). To compare terminologies used in the "classic" (Version 6.2) and "standard" (Version 7) GTAP Models, please refer to the appendix A of "The Standard GTAP Model, Version 7" (Corong et al. 2017) and review the following videos.
SMART Handout Seminar Recording
Coefficient Naming Conventions: GTAP "Classic (v6.2)" vs. "Standard (v7)"
Last Modified: Thursday, November 7, 2024