UW and Germany
UW and Germany
UW–Madison and Germany share a long history of academic exchange and collaboration, with ties that continue to evolve and create new opportunities.
Across disciplines, students, faculty, researchers, alumni, and institutional partners have built relationships that advance scholarship, encourage the exchange of ideas, and link communities in Wisconsin and Germany.
Explore some of the connections between UW–Madison and Germany.
Featured Country Initiative
Germany is one of six countries selected for the Featured Country Initiative (FCI). The FCI celebrates the university’s international collaborations in specific locations around the globe. These collaborations include joint research and publications, student and faculty exchanges, community engagement, and creative endeavors.
By the Numbers
48
Students enrolled from Germany during AY 25-26
77
UW–Madison faculty and staff are known to be from Germany
50+
Students enrolled in German language courses
450+
Registered alumni living in Germany
European Studies
Founded in 1972, European Studies at UW–Madison connects students and faculty across disciplines to explore European history, languages, cultures, and the European Union as a global power.
European Studies is a consortium of three externally funded research centers, including the Center for German & European Studies (CGES, a DAAD Center of Excellence), the Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence, and the Center for European Studies, all based in the International Division.
Delving deep into Europe’s history, languages, and cultures, European Studies offers a comprehensive curriculum with over 700 courses annually and 16 European languages.
European Studies is the focal point connecting Europe to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is dedicated to all related aspects of research, education, and outreach.
Featured Stories
conference
Wisconsin’s CGES Participates in the DAAD Hundredth Anniversary
As part of an international celebration of its one-hundredth anniversary, the German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD (head office Bonn, Germany) invited members of its nineteen-funded centers around the world to Porto Alegre, Brazil for a weeklong conference.
Students
Academic Year in Freiburg
One of UW’s signature study abroad programs, the Academic Year in Freiburg program provides the opportunity to improve your German language skills while taking a variety of courses.
faculty
More Than Words: Language, Identity, and the Classroom
Assistant Professor Julia Goetze explores the emotional and psychological aspects of language teaching and how class size, supervision, and student behavior shape teacher anxiety.
agreements
Hessen and Wisconsin Sign Letter of Intent
CGES and the Universities of Wisconsin administration hosted a celebration recognizing the signing of a Letter of Intent to strengthen scientific collaboration between Wisconsin and Hessen.
uw history
Mildred Fish-Harnack honored as hero of resistance to Nazi regime
The UW alumna was pivotal in sabotaging the Nazi regime by distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets, helping Jews flee Germany, and passing coded information.
Germany Connections
The Wisconsin Directory of Global Engagement (WiDGE) captures international activity across the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. This directory currently includes 7 formally signed, active agreements between UW–Madison and institutions in Germany.
