Recently announced plans for the University of Wisconsin–Madison to open an office in Shanghai have been well-received in China, including endorsements from Badger alumni in the region and Wisconsin companies doing business there, according to Gilles Bousquet, dean of the Division of International Studies and vice provost for globalization.

“With such strong support, we are moving forward in a serious, decisive manner with our plans for the UW Shanghai Center,” says Bousquet, who traveled to China in mid-November to promote and advance plans for this ground-breaking presence.

UW–Madison’s partners in this initiative, the Minhang District of Shanghai and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), reiterated their eagerness to move forward as swiftly as possible. A target of June 2012 has been set for the launch of the UW Shanghai Center, to be held in conjunction with a UW-led conference on innovation.

“Innovation is the current buzz word in China; we saw it everywhere,” Bousquet explains. “China is deeply interested in encouraging and investing in innovative ideas. At UW, we face a choice—to sit on the sidelines and risk becoming irrelevant, or to engage in those areas where we have strengths for the benefit of all involved.”

At the same time, he strikes a note of caution: “We are exercising due diligence at every step. We must navigate a complex process, in which we cannot take any steps for granted. If we pay close attention to details, I am optimistic that we will succeed.”