Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) /
Contact Us
I. General Information about e-Learning
II. Course Information
III. Registration Process
IV. Technical Questions
V. After the Course
VI. Contact Us
For questions not covered in this area, please contact us:
UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development
(UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF)
D502, 11-13 Ch. Des Animones, 1219, Chatelaine
Geneva, Switzerland
Phone: +41-22-917 86 20
Email: asad.naqvi@unep.ch
Fax: +41-22-917 80 76
www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Public Finance and Trade Programme
Palais des Nations
CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone :+41 22 917 84 54
Email : trade@unitar.org
Fax : +41.22.917 89 93
I. General Information about E-Learning
What is the difference in between
UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF /UNITAR e-Learning courses and traditional workshops?
Will the lack of face-to-face discussion in the e-learning course affect the
quality of the course?
While UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR's e-Learning courses will not involve face-to-face
interaction, which traditional workshops offer, there are several advantages
that the e-learning courses offer. The courses not only offer flexibility in
time and location, but they also synthesize the inputs, materials, and texts
of the numerous workshops in a well-structured manner. While the e-learning
courses do not have the face-to face component as the workshops do, there will
nevertheless be a weekly discussion board session in which a panel of senior
international experts will be logged on 'live' to discuss any questions
that may arise in regards to the course.
How do e-learning courses work?
The courses have a duration period of approximately four weeks. In total,
participants should anticipate on devoting to the course in between fourty to
fifty hours over the four-week period.
Who should enroll in an e-learning
course?
This course is primarily intended for business people including exporters, policymakers
and government officials, national organic movements, NGOs, training and competence
centers, farmers’ cooperatives, agriculture extension workers, consultants,
farmer group advisors and certification agencies.
Is online training suited for
you?
UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR e-learning courses are structured in a very user-friendly manner
with a clearly defined pedagogy and easy online navigation. As such, the online
training course is really ideally suited for anyone who is even minutely familiar
with the basic features of a computer and internet browsing, e.g. if you can
access and read a newspaper online, you can take our online courses.
What Web skills do I need?
One does not need a lot of experience with computers to take our e-learning
courses. One should however be familiar with the Internet and World Wide Web.
One's computer experience should include using the mouse, scrolling, clicking
hyperlinks, locating and saving files, using e-mail, entering text into Web-based
forms, and using the Web to access information.
When is the enrollment deadline?
The enrollment deadline for each of the e-learning courses is roughly two weeks
prior to the commencement of the course.
II. Course Information
How will I learn?
One will learn the course information by reviewing the course materials lesson
by lesson and then fulfilling each objective as they progress through the lessons.
Since every lesson is printer friendly, one may wish to print each lesson and
review it offline. In this regard, the course is both online and offline. There
are online tools that the course participants will most certainly want to access,
which will enhance their learning experience. The online tools include the discussion
board and the hyperlinks to websites, i.e. the UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building
Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development at http://www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf.
How much time will I need?
One should anticipate on devoting to the course roughly in between fourty to
fifty hours during a six-week period.
What do the course materials
look like? What are they composed of?
The course materials are broken down into lessons. Each lesson is composed
of lesson objectives, course materials, lesson reviews, multiple choice and
true/false questions and assessments. In addition, each lesson will provide
the participants external links to websites and web documents, which will be
beneficial to those who seek and desire a more in-depth explanation and discussion
of the course materials.
How long will the course materials
be accessible?
The course materials will be accessible online for the time period that is allotted
to the duration of the course - approximately four weeks.
Will I need to purchase additional
books and reference materials?
One does not need to purchase additional materials because it is a self-contained
course, however outside reference materials are always beneficial. They may
assist an individual in expanding his/her wealth of knowledge on the course
subject.
Who will teach the course?
The course is to some degree 'self-taught' since there is no direct face-to-face
interaction with a professor, as in a traditional class setting. However, through
our discussion board facility, participants have the possibility to asynchronously
interact with the Course Director and international experts. This
provides the participant the opportunity to discuss the course and to pose
any question that may arise.
What is the grading system?
In general, at the end of each lesson there is a set of multiple choice
questions (MCQs) that participants must take in order to receive a Certificate
of Completion for the course. To receive the Certificate, one must answer 80
percent of the end-of-lesson questions correctly. However on most of the courses,
a compulsory report and mandatory participation on the discussion forum is also
required.
Will there be any certification
after successful completion of the course?
There is indeed a Certificate that UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF /UNITAR will send by mail
after the successful completion of the course. This Certificate is signed by
UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF and by the UNITAR Executive Director or its authorized representative.
III. Registration and Payment Process
How do I register for the course?
Step 1 of 4:
Applicants first need to fill out the online Registration Form. After applicants
click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the registration form,
they will receive a reply via email from UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR confirming
receipt of their application (please ensure that a valid email address is entered
in the registration form).
Step 2 of 4:
UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR will make a selection based on available slots. Priority
is given to the above mentioned priority group. UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR reserves
the right to select participants with a view to having broad country/institutional
representation and to maintain gender balance, as it sees beneficial for course
deliberations.
Step 3 of 4:
Selected participants will be notified and required to reconfirm their interest
and availability for the course dates.
Step 4 of 4:
The applicant will receive his/her username and password one working day before
the start of the requisite course. This will allow the applicant to participate
in the requisite e-Learning course, using an internet connection.
Can I take more than one course
at a time?
Yes, you can enroll in more than one course at a time.
IV. Technical Questions
What equipment is required for
the course?
In order to take this course one will need a computer that meets the minimum
specification listed:
- Windows 95 or higher, MacOS 9 or MacOS X
- At least 64 MB of RAM, 1 G of free disk space
- Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape 4.0 - JavaScript and Cookies must be enabled
- A 56k modem
Your network administrator or a person who has basic knowledge of hardware
and networks will be able to tell you whether or not your computer/setup meets
the requirements.
How do I register for my course?
Registration for a UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR online course is very easy. All you
need to do is to fill out our online Registration Form and click on the button
'Submit'.
How do I start taking my course?
From one's personal account page, click the course name and the home page will
appear with several icons. The icons on the course home page will vary with
the course one is taking, but they can be divided into these general categories.
1. Course information/Content: This can include such items as Course Objectives,
Syllabi, Course Documents, and Class information.
2. Assessments/Assignments: These can include such items as Exams, Self-Test,
Assignments, Surveys, and Assessment Tools.
3. Student Tools/External Resources: These can include such items as Grades,
Student Homepages, Calendar, and Communication Tools.
Who do I contact if I have technical
problems (i.e. lost password)?
Should one encounter technical difficulties, such as a lost password, please
contact UNITAR's e-learning administrator. Each online course will have a support
group with dedicated contact details.
V. After the Course
What happens after the course
(Alumni)?
Once one has successfully completed a UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR e-learning course,
one will be put on a mailing list to receive information when new courses become
available.
How long does it take to receive
a Certificate of Completion (for successful participants)?
After the course has ended, the UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR e-Learning Committee
in collaboration with the Course Director(s) evaluates individual participation
(quizzes, participation on the discussion forum) before UNEP-UNCTAD-CBTF/UNITAR
prints and signs the Certificates. On average, it takes around 8 weeks before
we can dispatch the Certificates (via regular mail). Actual delivery varies,
depending on your local postal service.
