Burma faces many challenges in its path toward democracy. University of Washington is partnering with Microsoft and USAID to make the transition a little easier. USAID awarded a 1.5 million dollar grant to UW’s Jackson School of International Studies and Information School to bring new technologies and training to Burma. The tools will be used to facilitate policy-making and higher education reform. Microsoft matched the USAID grant and will contribute software and expertise. Read more…
Category: Asia
Expanding to China, Seattle firm enlists UW alum
When leaders at Seattle design firm DLR Group needed new talent to reach their goal of winning new projects in Asia, they turned to a UW alumnus with strong connections to Seattle and China. Kevin Zhang, a graduate of UW’s M.S. in Architecture program and a native of Tianjin, China, has put his graduate training as well as cultural and linguistic fluency to work for the firm. With Zhang’s help, DLR Group recently won a bid to redesign a power plant in Shanghai, gaining a new foothold in China for the Seattle firm. Read more from The Graduate School…
President Young presents at Asian Law Lecture Series
UW School of Law is hosting the Asian Law Lecture Series. In January, UW President and Professor of Law Michael Young will present, “Attitudes Towards Law: The Impact of Legal Education and Historical Experience in Japan and China.” Professor Qi Zhang of Peking University Law School will present in February. Read more from the Asian Law Center…
UW Bothell professor gives keynote at international marketing conference
Dr. P.V. (Sundar) Balakrishnan, Professor at UW Bothell School of Business, delivered the keynote address at the International Great Lakes – North American Society for Marketing Education in India (NASMEI) conference in Manamai, India in December. He also facilitated an interactive session on management leadership. Read more…
UW leaders connect with alumni and parents in China
UW’s President Young and Vice Provost for Global Affairs Riedinger visited China and Japan from October 26 to November 7, making stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. The leaders met with UW alumni and friends, parents of current UW students, as well as key institutional partners.
The trip marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for UW’s connection with international alumni, students, and parents. In Beijing and Shanghai, President Young and Vice Provost Riedinger connected with UW alumni and parents. Leadership groups of UW alumni living in China provided ideas for how UW can support the development of alumni organizations and deepen international alumni involvement.
In the first-ever meetings between university leadership and parents of international students in their home country, Vice Provost Riedinger was “impressed with the strength of [the parents’] affection for UW… and their keen interest in the success of their daughters and sons, both inside and outside of the classroom.” Feedback from the parent meetings highlighted the need for improved communication with international students and parents about the resources available at UW – from academic advising to faculty office hours.
Meetings with institutional partners focused on strengthening research partnerships, increasing collaboration among faculty, and creating additional opportunities for UW students to engage in research, internships, and experiential learning in China.
GO! Scholar gives back through Study Abroad Peer Mentor program
Biochemistry major and aspiring pediatrician Melissa Wong embarked on a unique, self-directed study abroad in 2012. Through an independent study course with the UW Asian Languages department, she earned academic credit for completing an ohenro, or pilgrimage, to 88 temples scattered across the Japanese island of Shikoku. The journey, which Melissa made by bike, bus, car, train, and foot, took her across 750 miles of countryside. A Husky Promise student, Melissa studied abroad with the support of a GO! Scholarship. Funded by the Washington State Legislature, GO! Scholarships support study abroad opportunities for students with significant financial need.
Melissa bloged about her journey to the temples of Shikoku. She sums up her experiences in the following blog entry, made after visiting the final temple:
One of the most important gifts I received was courage and bravery. I am willing to take more risks and not be afraid of the unknown. The old Melissa would never bike to 88 temples, take initiative to meet new people, and travel out of her boundaries. This is something you can never learn from textbooks.
Now back on the UW campus, Melissa is giving back by serving as a Study Abroad Peer Mentor. The peer mentorship program, facilitated by International Programs & Exchanges, connects undergraduates just back from studying abroad with students considering a similar experience. “When I saw the opportunity to become a Peer Mentor, I thought it would be a great opportunity to give back after receiving the GO! Scholarship,” she explains.
A pre-med biochemistry major, Melissa hopes that she can inspire fellow science majors to study abroad. She wants to show that it’s possible and very beneficial to work around sequential courses and busy schedules to study abroad. “I learned so much from the people I met in Japan,” Melissa explains, “…to go with the flow and do what I like, and see how it connects to my future goals later. Everything I’ve done since getting back has been influenced by my experiences in Japan.”
After returning from her study abroad, Melissa took Astronomy 101, just because the subject interests her. “Since then, I’ve been working with Professor Fraser on the Mobile Planetarium, where we teach 1st and 2nd graders about astronomy. I think volunteering as a teacher will help me become a better pediatrician.” Melissa’s journey with study abroad doesn’t stop with peer mentorship. She will travel to South Korea this fall with the Family & Child Nursing: Culture, Immigration & Health Exploration Seminar, and she hopes to engage in a direct exchange or internship abroad next year.