INCU

The INCU has been established to:

• promote the academic standing of the Customs profession;
• promote academic excellence in Customs matters;
• support research in Customs matters;
• organise academic conferences;
• generate greater public awareness of the Customs profession;
• promote the collective interests of its Members;
• provide the World Customs Organization and other organisations with a single point of contact with universities and research institutes that are active in the field of customs research, education and training; and
• provide a global resource for governments and the private sector, and an educational source for students wishing to further their knowledge in the field of customs, international trade, and logistics.

The INCU provides a mechanism for progressively establishing a knowledge base on various important aspects of Customs and allow a free exchange of ideas and best practice that will not only assist countries undertaking reform processes, but will also serve to build closer links between government, academia and the private sector.

In addition, the greater visibility of customs and international trade that can be achieved by such a network is likely to attract more talented people to the industry and assist the sustainability of best practice in customs law and administration and international trade.

The INCU website provides a directory of individuals, universities and other institutions involved in Customs research, education, training, and capacity building activities and a range of resources including conference materials, reports and research papers. The website is also a mechanism for communicating information about current activities, new developments, upcoming events, and other items of interest.

Since its establishment in 2005, the principal objective of the INCU has been to raise the academic standing of the customs profession. In 2020, the INCU is celebrating another significant milestone in the development of Customs as a recognised area of academic pursuit – it’s 15th anniversary.