Higher Vocational Training Programme (CFGS) in International Trade in Barcelona

This subject introduces students to digital marketing strategies and tools applied to international trade. It covers the development of a global digital marketing plan, the management of virtual stores, customer acquisition and loyalty, and the use of digital channels for foreign promotion. It also addresses electronic invoicing, transaction security, and relations with international organizations. Key training to understand how companies operate and grow in globalized digital environments.

This subject offers a comprehensive vision of digital transformation in productive sectors, analyzing how new technologies drive efficiency, sustainability, and business competitiveness. Students learn to identify IT and OT environments, apply enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence, Big Data, or cloud computing, and develop digital transformation projects. Furthermore, the course delves into data protection, cybersecurity, and the integration of intelligent systems that optimize business and production processes.

This subject provides a comprehensive overview of how international trade works and the administrative processes that support it. Students learn to identify the bodies, institutions, and regulations that govern foreign trade, as well as to prepare and manage the necessary documentation for import, export, and intra-community operations. It also covers trade barriers, customs regimes, taxation, and the use of IT tools for managing customers, suppliers, and customs procedures. Essential training to operate confidently in global environments and international operations.

This subject offers a global vision of business management from an economic and financial perspective. Students learn to analyze project viability, choose the most appropriate legal form, and manage a company's accounting, taxation, and financial resources. Concepts such as investment, financing, depreciation, invoicing, profitability, and balance sheet analysis are covered. Additionally, IT tools for accounting and financial management are utilized, developing key competencies for sustainable and efficient business decision-making.

This subject develops the linguistic competences necessary to communicate effectively in international professional and academic environments. Students learn to understand oral and written messages of varying complexity, to express themselves fluently in presentations, meetings, or interviews, and to draft clear and coherent professional documents. Sociocultural uses and norms of politeness specific to the English-speaking business environment are also covered. A key subject to operate confidently in a global and multilingual work environment.

This subject supports students in their professional and personal development, helping them define their profile, skills, and interests to guide their future career. It includes training in occupational risk prevention, legal foundations of employment, and professional self-guidance strategies. It also promotes autonomous and digital learning through the creation of a personal learning environment and digital identity management. Its objective is to boost employability, promote safety at work, and prepare the student for their entry into the labor market.

This subject addresses the integral organization and management of the warehouse within the logistics chain. Students learn to plan space, optimize time and resources, control inventories, and manage documentation related to the procurement and dispatch of goods. It involves working with IT tools for stock management, budgeting, and traceability, as well as procedures for quality, risk prevention, and reverse logistics. Essential training to ensure efficiency, safety, and sustainability in business logistics operations.

This subject teaches how to understand and analyze the market as a basis for business decision-making. Students learn to identify environmental variables, configure marketing information systems, and plan commercial research. Data collection and analysis techniques, questionnaire design, sampling, and the use of IT tools for statistical processing are covered. The training culminates in the preparation of reports that allow for interpreting trends, segmenting markets, and defining effective commercial strategies.

This subject trains students in the comprehensive management of international transport operations, from selecting the optimal medium and route to the formalization of contracts, insurance, and customs documentation. It covers the regulations for different transport modes (road, maritime, air, and multimodal), logistics cost calculation, and the application of Incoterms. Furthermore, it studies traceability, risk prevention, sustainability, and reverse logistics. Essential training to efficiently coordinate the safe and profitable movement of goods on a global level.

With an experiential and results-oriented approach, this module drives the development of leadership styles applicable to real international trade environments, strengthening the ability to influence, motivate, and coordinate teams responsibly. Through dynamics, workshops, and projects, students train in self-awareness and emotional management, improve their interpersonal communication, and learn to address conflicts through empathy and cooperation. Likewise, tools are provided to define professional purpose, consolidate a positive attitude, and optimize time management, integrating critical thinking and autonomy for more effective decision-making in changing contexts.

This subject delves into the financial mechanisms that support international trade operations. Students learn to analyze the foreign exchange market, manage exchange rate and interest rate risks, and select the most appropriate forms of financing for exports and imports. Official export credits, international tenders, and credit insurance (CESCE) are studied, as well as the use of IT tools for financial calculation and document management. Key training to understand the financial dimension of global trade and strategic risk management.

This subject drives the professional and entrepreneurial development of students through employability strategies, self-awareness, and ethical leadership. It covers active job search techniques, selection processes, personal branding, and key emotional and social competencies. Furthermore, it promotes entrepreneurial initiative and sustainable innovation, applying agile methodologies such as Design Thinking to generate and validate business ideas with social and environmental impact. It culminates in the design of an entrepreneurial project that integrates sustainability, technology, and personal development.

This subject delves into marketing strategies applied to the international expansion of products and brands. Students learn to analyze the viability of entering foreign markets, establish pricing policies, select distribution channels, and design global communication campaigns. It also develops competencies to prepare international marketing plans and professional briefings, integrating digital tools, statistical analysis, and positioning strategies. A key subject for understanding how companies adapt and compete effectively in globalized environments.

This subject enables students to manage collection and payment processes in international trade operations. The main financial instruments are studied—documentary credits, remittances, checks, payment orders, and guarantees—along with their regulatory framework and associated risks. Additionally, it covers guarantees, commercial and banking documentation, and the use of digital media and electronic certification for secure transactions. Essential training to understand international financial operations and ensure the legal and economic security of global transactions.

This subject prepares students to effectively manage negotiation and contracting processes in international environments. It covers techniques for searching and selecting clients or suppliers, cultural negotiation styles, and verbal and non-verbal communication strategies adapted to each market. It also addresses the drafting and management of international contracts, the application of Incoterms, conflict resolution through arbitration or mediation, and the monitoring of commercial agreements. Essential training to develop global negotiation skills, leadership, and intercultural management.

This subject integrates the knowledge acquired throughout the training cycle by developing a real export or import project. Students analyze business opportunities, select markets, and design international marketing, pricing, distribution, and communication strategies. They also plan the project execution, manage commercial, financial, and logistics documentation, and evaluate its economic viability. It culminates in the presentation of a complete plan that reflects the student's ability to manage international operations in a professional and strategic manner.

This subject introduces students to the use of French in professional contexts linked to international trade. It covers the comprehension and production of oral and written messages, the drafting of commercial documents, the interpretation of technical texts, and the use of sector-specific vocabulary. Furthermore, basic communicative skills are developed to hold conversations, deliver presentations, and apply business etiquette and protocol rules. Training aimed at operating confidently in Francophone and international work environments.

This subject introduces students to the principles of sustainable development and their application in business environments. It analyzes the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges affecting productive sectors, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Students learn to design products and services under circular economy, ecodesign, and efficiency criteria, evaluating their impact throughout the life cycle. Furthermore, the course covers the preparation of corporate sustainability plans, promoting responsible business management aligned with international standards.

• Entry with a completed HND meeting UCAS entry requirements.
• Scholarships applied to bachelor's degrees for undergraduate students progressing from an HND at eserp.
• Scholarships for the English language programme delivered during the first year.
• Extensive module recognition to support career progression pathways.

Credits:

• Validated ECTS credits: 30.
• Degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to be taken: 210.
• Total validated subjects: 06.

Subjects:

• Commercial Techniques: 03 credits.
• Economics for Communicators: 06 credits.
• Communication Companies and Business Models: 06 credits.
• Information and Communication Technologies: 03 credits.
• Marketing Foundations: 06 credits.
• Internship / Work Placement: 06 credits.

Credits:

• Validated ECTS credits: 36.
• Degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to be taken: 204.
• Total validated subjects: 06.

Subjects:

• Financial Accounting: 06 credits
• Digital Marketing and E-business: 06 credits
• International Finances I: 06 credits
• Organisation of International Companies: 06 credits
• Policies and Marketing Strategies: 06 credits
• External Internships: 06 credits

Credits:

• Validated ECTS credits: 42.
• Degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to be taken: 198.
• Total validated subjects: 07.

Subjects:

• Legal Informatics: 06 credits
• Expression, Argumentation, and Negotiation Techniques: 06 credits
• Financial Accounting: 06 credits
• Legal English: 06 credits
• Foreign Trade and International Contracting: 03 credits
• International Finance: 06 credits
• External Internships: 09 credits

Credits:

• Validated ECTS credits: 30.
• Degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to be taken: 210.
• Total validated subjects: 05.

Subjects:

• IT Applied to Criminology: 06 credits
• Introduction to Business I: 06 credits
• Introduction to Business II: 03 credits
• Legal English: 06 credits
• External Internships: 09 credits

Credits:

• Recognised ECTS credits: 63.
• Bachelor's (hons) degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to complete: 177.
• Total recognised modules: 09.

Modules:

• Economic-financial analysis in marketing I: 4.5 credits.
• Economic-financial analysis in marketing II: 4.5 credits.
• Introduction to marketing: 6.0 credits.
• Communication policy: 6.0 credits.
• Marketing and communication management: 4.5 credits.
• Market research I: 4.5 credits.
• Relational, direct and interactive marketing: 4.5 credits.
• Labour and Social Security Law: 4.5 credits.
• Work-based learning (FCT): 24 credits.

Credits:

• Recognised ECTS credits: 34.5.
• Bachelor's (hons) degree credits: 240.
• Total credits to complete: 205.5.
• Total recognised modules: 03.

Modules:

• Introduction to Marketing and Business Communication: 6.0 credits.
• Marketing Management: 4.5 credits.
• External Internships: 24 credits.

The annual report reflects a very positive overall assessment of the 2023–2024 academic year. The year began normally with a notable increase in enrolment, reaching 65 students across the HND in marketing and advertising and HND in international trade, which supported career progression pathways and enabled the reopening of two first-year groups.

Ministry scholarships for post-compulsory studies (managed in Catalonia by the Generalitat) are aimed at students of A-levels, HND programmes, arts, sports and language education.

Applications are made between March and May 2025, even if you have not yet confirmed your career progression pathways. They cover tuition fees, accommodation, income and academic performance, with grants that can exceed €2,000 depending on family circumstances and the modules studied.

The process is entirely online, and the decision depends on the student’s financial and academic requirements.

The general annual programme (GAP) outlines the academic, organisational and pedagogical planning for the Higher Vocational Training Diplomas (HVTDs) in marketing and advertising and international trade.

The 2024–2025 academic year is structured with first-year morning sessions and second-year afternoon sessions, maintaining in-person teaching, continuous assessment and a teaching model based on work-based learning and personalised support to support career progression pathways.

The academic year will run from 12 September 2024 to 23 May 2025, combining in-person teaching, tutorials and extra-curricular activities to support graduate employability.

Institutional document establishing the legal, organisational, and academic framework of eserp, in accordance with the Law on Universities. It defines its nature as a private university centre with academic and financial autonomy, dedicated to higher education, research, and knowledge transfer.

It regulates the governance structure (General Board, General Management, and Steering Committee), the financial regime, the rights and duties of teaching staff, undergraduate students, and staff, as well as the functions of academic and quality services.

Furthermore, it establishes the principles of ethics, excellence, innovation, and social commitment, alongside policies for teaching, research, and collaboration with businesses and public bodies. Its objective is to guarantee rigorous, up-to-date education oriented towards the labour market, promoting the comprehensive development of the educational community and enhancing graduate employability.