Building Export Excellence: Hands-On Study Visits Shaping Future Export Consulting Professionals
Tallinn, Estonia – April 2026
The programme was implemented under the strategic leadership of Visionest Institute, with the active involvement of its CEO Anu-Mall Naarits, whose engagement ensured strategic coherence, methodological consistency, and alignment with the programme’s international, practice-oriented learning model.
Delivered in partnership with the Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation (ESTDEV), and supported by key regional partners including the EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the University of Georgia, the programme combined international expertise with regional relevance. Georgian and Ukrainian participants were awarded full scholarships, ensuring equal access to high-quality professional training and applied learning opportunities.
Programme coordination was ensured by project managers Krista Kulderknup, Tatia Paradashvili, and Anna Bondar, whose operational oversight enabled the smooth delivery of all study visits, training modules, and participant engagement activities across the programme implementation cycle. The programme structure was organised by country-based teams, ensuring coordinated participation and consistent engagement of participants from Georgia, Ukraine, and Estonia within their respective national groups.
Study visits across Estonia’s leading companies and institutions provided direct exposure to logistics, wholesale, retail, manufacturing, and digital governance ecosystems.
The programme began with a visit to Muuga Harbour, Estonia’s largest cargo port and a key logistics hub in the Baltic Sea region, offering insight into large-scale cargo operations, international trade flows, and the infrastructure supporting global supply chains.
At Tradehouse, one of the leading beauty and cosmetics wholesalers in the Baltic region, participants analysed B2B distribution models, product portfolio management, and cross-border retail integration strategies within a competitive consumer goods market.
The visit to Kaupmees Group provided a comprehensive understanding of FMCG wholesale operations, including supply chain coordination, inventory systems, and service models supporting the hospitality and catering sectors.
At Büroomaailm, participants explored integrated retail and wholesale operations, with focus on multi-channel sales strategies and the management of diversified product categories within scalable commercial systems.
A further study visit to Põhjala Brewery offered a practical case study in export-oriented brand development, illustrating how a locally established company can successfully position itself in global markets through product innovation, strong branding, and strategic expansion.
The programme also included a visit to the e-Estonia Briefing Centre, where participants explored Estonia’s advanced digital ecosystem, including e-governance solutions, digital infrastructure, and innovation-driven public services supporting business efficiency and competitiveness.
Across the programme, participants worked within their respective country-based teams, strengthening analytical thinking, cross-cultural communication, and applied consulting competencies. Continuous mentorship from experts across Estonia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European countries further enhanced exposure to diverse professional methodologies.
The Estonian study visits demonstrated the effectiveness of practice-based education in developing export consulting competencies. Direct engagement with operational companies enabled participants to observe how businesses function and scale in global markets, while structured mentorship supported the development of strategic and analytical skills.
The participation of 32 professionals from three countries reinforced the programme’s scale and diversity, contributing to a multinational learning environment grounded in applied experience.
These visits form a key component of the programme’s broader learning model, where training, mentorship, and field-based exposure are systematically interconnected.
The ECM programme continues to serve as an international platform for developing export consulting professionals through practice-oriented learning and structured collaboration.
Looking Ahead
The completion of the Export Consultants Mastery Programme 2025-2026 marks the transition from structured learning to long-term professional application. Over nine months, participants strengthened export consulting competencies, cross-cultural collaboration skills, and gained direct exposure to real business environments shaping international trade.
The ECM Programme stands as a structured model of immersive international education, combining applied learning, mentorship, and real-world business engagement. Visionest Institute and its partners remain committed to advancing practice-oriented education that strengthens international competitiveness and export capacity development.
