Our adventure began in 1978, when a group of enthusiastic final-year business engineering students from the Solvay Business School at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) came together to establish the Initiatiefgroep Solvay, known as Inisol. This association, founded for and by business engineering students pursuing their master's degrees, has since 1991 annually organised successful trade missions. Over time, the project has been professionalised and fully integrated as a master’s thesis for the Master of Business Engineering and Business & Technology. Since 2019, it also serves as a practical course for master's students in Applied Economics, International Business, Communication Sciences, Political Sciences, Photonics, (International and European) Law, Bioengineering Sciences, and Sport Management.
The trade mission offers companies the opportunity to expand their presence in emerging economies. It can serve as a catalyst for significant growth in market share and business networks. A team of around 30 master's students from various disciplines will execute company-specific assignments, supported by Prof. dr. Michaël Dooms and Prof. dr. Magali Geerts, along with their academic team, which consists of two academic assistants. The students are also supported by various agencies and our network of Solvay alumni. Preparation begins as early as the summer months preceding the missions, with the actual missions taking place over three weeks in the spring. Students are assessed based on their final report, with varying levels of academic evaluation depending on their field of study, with business engineers and business & technologists undergoing a more demanding evaluation due to the integrated master's thesis component.
This academic year marks our 36th edition. Due to the success of previous years and the growing demand from companies and students, multiple missions have been organised since 2020 to meet this increasing demand. Therefore, during the spring of 2026, two missions will take place. In early March, a first delegation will depart for Mexico City, Mexico. In April, another group will head to Bangalore (officially ‘Bengaluru’), India. Mexico and India are two important emerging economies on the global stage, brimming with undiscovered opportunities and potential. These countries provide a dynamic environment in which your enterprise could explore new markets.
This program serves as an excellent platform for businesses, organizations, and students to network, explore new markets, and establish international partnerships. The missions offer students remarkable opportunities to acquire international knowledge and practical experience, while also representing our country and your company on the global stage. The missions include delegations of Belgian companies from diverse industries and sectors, portrayed by our students, who travel to a chosen country to engage in business meetings, trade fairs, and other significant events. It is a unique occasion to introduce your company to international markets, where new business possibilities and valuable partnerships arise.
If you wish to participate in our project, a student from the Trade Mission Team will carry out your assignment and work in close collaboration with your company. The exact nature of the assignment will be mutually agreed upon to ensure it meets the needs and expectations of both parties. We strongly recommend that your company provides adequate in-house training to complement the student's independent preparation. The student will submit a preparatory report no later than one week before departure.
During the trade mission, regular communication will be maintained between the academic team and the students regarding the assignment. This ensures proper guidance and allows for adjustments if necessary. For more details on reporting during the mission, please refer to the “Action Plan” section.
At the end of the trade mission, the students will prepare a detailed final report, which will later be presented and explained verbally. This presentation takes place in the presence of the student, a representative of your company, and either Prof. dr. Dooms or Prof. dr. Geerts. For more information, please refer to the subsection titled "The Final Report".
The final report will detail all the actions undertaken to successfully complete the assignment. It will present the information gathered, analyses conducted, results achieved, and conclusions drawn in a structured manner. Consequently, your company will receive an accurate and thorough report covering all aspects of the defined assignment. We ensure the quality of this report by evaluating its content according to the students' graduation requirements.
If you are interested in the trade mission project or would like to get more information, please contact us via trademission.inisol@vub.be.
You can also find more information on the website of the VUB and on the trade mission website.