Expertise: Trade policy expert studying inclusive and sustainable trade through evidence and expert knowledge. Extensive policy expertise and experience of practitioner engagement in the areas of governance of trade policy and actively building the capacity of trade officials to negotiate trade agreements.

Biography: Sangeeta Khorana is a Professor in International Trade Policy in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Finance and Economics at Aston Business School. Currently, she holds the prestigious endowed Chair of International Trade Policy awarded by the Institute of Export and International Trade, a UK based registered charity that aims to support and promote international trade as a force for social and economic good.

Sangeeta joined Aston Business School in July 2023 from Bournemouth University, having previously worked at the Universities of Keele, Aberystwyth, St Gallen and ETF-Zurich. She is a former Indian civil services officer, having worked with the government of India. She holds a PhD in International Trade and Development from the University of St Gallen in Switzerland.

Sangeeta works at the intersection of WTO trade policy and bilateral agreements, focussing on free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. She has established an international reputation for her research on FTA negotiations through economic modelling and impact assessment expertise. She has provided evidence to the UK, EU and Scottish Parliaments as well as the Welsh Assembly. In addition, she has been associated with projects that aim to build capacity of trade officials on trade negotiations, examples being Vietnam, Canada, Bhutan, Thailand, UAE, among others. Currently, her research agenda is focused on exploring ‘inclusive’ trade and ‘sustainable’ supply as well as procurement liberalisation through FTAs and policy reform in the Caribbean region.

Her policy expertise and commitment to inclusiveness in the area of international trade has resulted in working with the WTO Gender Hub, international organisations, corporates, business associations, and parliamentary bodies on trade policy matters. Sangeeta was on secondment to HMG Department for Business and Trade to support with trade negotiations.

She has successfully completed projects for organisations such as the European Commission, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), World Bank, UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Commonwealth Secretariat, UNCTAD-India, and several others.

Sangeeta Khorana has extensively research on FTA negotiations, including conducting economic impact assessments of FTA and supporting government officials world-wide in trade policy development. Collaborating closely with several international organisations, she addresses crucial issues in sustainable trade and public procurement reform.

Her current research is focused on the following:

• Trade Governance and FTA Negotiations
• Inclusive and Sustainable Supply Chains
• Public Procurement Reform

Sangeeta’s teaching experience cuts across trade policy, global governance, and International Business, highlighting the importance of applied knowledge in in preparing students to navigate the complexities of the contemporary global landscape. Her aim is to emphasise practical insights that enable students to bridge theory and real-world scenarios to foster a holistic understanding of the subject matter.

Her teaching approach is anchored in three fundamental principles:

1. Research-Based Excellence: Commitment to delivering excellence in teaching grounded in rigorous research, ensuring students acquire cutting-edge knowledge.
2. Student Empowerment as Knowledge Creators: Viewing students as 'creators,' not just 'consumers,' instils an entrepreneurial spirit, transforming them into active contributors to transformative change in business and communities.
3. Societal Relevance and Inclusiveness: Emphasising the broader societal relevance of higher education and recognising diverse learning needs fosters inclusivity. This approach aims to create value, drive business transformation, and positively impact communities.

2023-24: BSM936 – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND STRATEGY

Accepting PhD students