With the first 2006 edition of E-International, I would like to call your attention to a number of partnerships that came alive during the latter part of 2005. Relationships with UW-Madison schools, colleges and departments, alumni, and communities across the globe made the year unforgettable for International Studies, and have highlighted the Wisconsin Idea. Expanding these relationships and pursuing new collaborations remain among my highest priorities.
On September 1, five years after breaking ground on the project, astronomers released the first images from the South African Large Telescope (SALT) located on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. Chancellor Wiley traveled thousands of miles to participate in SALT’s inauguration, demonstrating by his participation in the ceremonies his conviction that global partnerships and knowledge transfer between cultures are essential elements of a UW-Madison education. The result of an international consortium that includes UW-Madison and other US institutions, South Africa, Germany, Poland and New Zealand, SALT is the largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, with the ability to record far distant galaxies and stars a billion times fainter than the naked eye can see.
Also in September, five UW-Madison undergraduates traveled to the nation’s capital to participate in International Studies’ first ever Washington DC Semester in International Affairs. By collaborating with UW-Madison alumni in the DC area, we were able to provide an opportunity for students to gain real-world experience in an internationally-focused agency, corporation, non-governmental organization, or embassy, such as the WHO Office to the World Bank and Voice of America. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of these dedicated alumni and UW faculty advisors, the program was, and I’m sure will continue to be, a great success. The students applauded the program, and we delight in knowing that their acquired skills will enrich their futures as well as benefit Wisconsin and the world. For the impressions of participant Ariane Strombom, please click here.
Our partnerships with South Africa and Washington DC came together at a memorable event at the South African Embassy in November, hosted by Ambassador Barbara Masekela. The event was extremely meaningful to me as students, staff, and alumni gathered together to celebrate UW-Madison’s role in internationalizing education. Ambassador Masekela spoke highly of UW-Madison’s strong relationship with South Africa, remarking on SALT, our educational exchange programs, and the role UW-Madison played in opposing racial apartheid in South Africa.
In December we inaugurated the Center for Global Health, a first-of-its kind partnership among the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, and the Division of International Studies. For more on the Center, go to <!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>
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http://internationalstudies.wordpress.com/2005/10/24/uw-madison-establishes-center-for-global-health/
I am grateful for the meaningful partnerships that we have formed and look forward to expanding upon them, and creating new ones. By joining together with partners on and beyond campus, we can accelerate internationalization and educate globally competent citizens faster than any one of us can do alone.
–Gilles Bousquet, Dean, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of International Studies