DATE: March 10, 2008
CONTACT: Masarah Van Eyck, mvaneyck2@international.wisc.edu, 608-262-5592The Wisconsin Legislature passed a Joint Resolution on International Education on March 5, 2008. Spearheaded by Sam Dunlop of St. Norbert College, the resolution recognizes that “international education is a critical component of higher education…contributing to the economy of the state and to a divers college environment.”
Recognizing that “the economy of this state is inextricably tied to the rest of the world,” the resolution urges universities to emphasize foreign language instruction and study abroad to promote cultural awareness and give graduates the cross-cultural skills necessary to function effectively in the global work force.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison offers an international studies major, certificates in international and area studies, and language instruction in more than 65 languages, many of them less commonly-taught. Last year it sent 1600 students abroad on one of its 184 programs which arrange opportunities in 51 countries. UW–Madison also welcomes more than 3500 students to its campus from around the world each year. In addition to contributing approximately $2 million annual, they bring a diverse XXXX befitting of a global society.
Two upcoming “Global Public University” events explore further ways in which UW–Madison might partner with the state to support its local economy on a global scale.