About Us

Founded in 1996 by the College of Letters and Science and the Division of International Studies, UW–Madison’s International Institute is comprised of 16 international and area studies member programs that promote education and scholarship about every region of the world. Eight of these member programs are federally supported Title VI National Resource Centers.

Teaching

The over 400 faculty members affiliated with the International Institute develop innovative international curriculum, interdisciplinary courses, capstone seminars, language programs, and collaborative research seminars. The Institute is also home to distinguished visitors, including a Diplomat-in-Residence, and researchers from around the world.

Degrees

International Institute programs offer over 30 different undergraduate and graduate degrees, international certificates, and concentrations, including BA, MA, and PhD minors. Several of these degrees and certificates are offered jointly with professional schools such as the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

Research

The International Institute supports several interdisciplinary, cross-regional research circles in which faculty and graduate students work on topical issues of global significance.

The Institute also awards Graduate Student International Fieldwork Research Awards for research overseas.

Outreach

The International Institute enhances international education at the K-12 level through teacher workshops, in-school programming, and resource distribution. As National Resource Centers, the Title VI programs also participate in outreach activities through the Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium (WIOC).

Another member program of the Institute, the Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE), provides workshops, executive briefings, and information to Wisconsin businesses and government.

Partnerships

In addition to campus-wide partnerships with departments and programs such as women's studies, ethnic studies, and environmental studies, the International Institute also works closely with the Center for Global Health, Global Legal Studies, and the School of Business' Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). Institute programs are also actively engaged in collaborative research and teaching with universities across the United States and the world.

Funding

A combination of federal, state, foundation, and private funding supports the International Institute and its programs. Eight Institute programs receive federal funding as Title VI National Resource Centers.

Through the International Fellowships Office, the International Institute helps the UW dispense approximately one million dollars in fellowships (such as the FLAS, SSRC, Fulbright, and MacArthur Fellowships) to nearly 200 graduate students every year.

Each year International Academic Programs (IAP)—a member program and the main study-abroad office on campus—awards over $200,000 in study-abroad scholarships to UW-Madison undergraduates, some of which comes from a state-funded study-abroad scholarship program for Wisconsin residents.

Administration and Governance

Gilles Bousquet is the dean of the Division of International Studies and the director of the International Institute. The International Institute Academic Planning Council—comprised of representatives from Institute programs, faculty, staff, and research circles—governs the International Institute. The planning council meets monthly during the academic year to approve joint initiatives, oversee activities, and set policy and strategic goals.

Members of the Academic Planning Council

APC Meeting Minutes