Interim Chancellor David Ward described the launch of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Innovation Office in Shanghai as the start of a “China-Plus Initiative”—a unique presence for promoting and facilitating UW engagement across East Asia.
“This is envisioned as part of the Educational Innovation initiative,” Ward said, referring to the current campus-wide effort to promote reforms in academic structures, policies and programs.
The chancellor spoke March 14 at the start of a gathering to inform faculty and staff about plans for the UW’s first overseas outpost, which is scheduled to open in June. About 100 people, representing 60 units, attended the event, where they were invited to consider how this office can serve units from across campus.
The Shanghai office builds upon the university’s long history of ties with China and will serve multiple purposes in deepening UW engagement there, Ward said.
He viewed it as “a way of connecting knowledge spheres,” such as the UW and Chinese universities, companies in Wisconsin and China, the University Research Park in Madison and Zizhu Science Park in Shanghai (where the UW office will be located).
“And out of that comes a better understanding of issues like technology transfer,” he said.