It has been a highly productive start to 2026, and we are pleased to share highlights of the impactful global work and engagement led by UW students and faculty across our three campuses in our news features below. From international research and partnerships to innovative global learning experiences, these stories reflect the reach, impact, and responsibility of UW’s global engagement.
Despite the difficult global environment and uncertainties we are operating under, UW remains firmly committed to working alongside our international partners, investing in globally engaged research, and expanding inclusive global learning opportunities on campus. These efforts reinforce our belief that global engagement is core to our mission and essential to advancing knowledge, fostering mutual understanding, and preparing students to navigate and lead in an interconnected world.
As we approach Husky Giving Day on April 23, we are reminded of the power of community in expanding what is possible for our students. At UW Global, our vision is to ensure that every Husky, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to transformative global learning experiences. We are working to remove barriers, broaden opportunity, and strengthen a vibrant network of alumni, partners, and supporters who share this commitment.
We call on you to join us on April 23 and beyond, as we invest in global futures at the University of Washington, opening doors for students today and helping shape a more connected and resilient world for tomorrow.
We invite you to stay connected with us and reach out if UW Global can be a resource or partner in your work. Whether you are a student, faculty member, alumnus/ae, or friend of the UW, we welcome engagement, ideas, and collaboration as we continue to advance UW’s global mission together.
As part of UW Global’s country strategy—which aims to strengthen the University’s international engagement across colleges, schools, centers, and faculty—a UW delegation traveled to Japan the week of February 23 to deepen partnerships with leading universities and research institutions. Japan is one of five priority countries in the strategy, alongside Finland, India, Kenya, and South Korea.
In addition to President Robert Jones, Vice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad Ezzeddine and Associate Vice Provost Gayle Christensen, the delegation included leaders from the College of Engineering, the Information School, and the School of Medicine. Their meetings focused on expanding research collaboration, increasing student and faculty exchange, and building innovation partnerships that connect UW with Japan’s academic and industry ecosystems.
Strengthening ties with the Institute of Science Tokyo
The visit began with two days of meetings at the Institute of Science Tokyo, a national research university formed in 2024 through the merger of Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The university enrolls roughly 13,000 students across engineering, science, and medical fields.
On February 26, Dr. Ezzeddine, College of Engineering Dean Nancy Allbritton, and Vice Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs Jihui Yang met with Executive Vice President for Global Affairs Tomohiro Morio and Vice President for International Strategy and Engagement Nobuhiro Hayashi to explore new areas of collaboration.
The following day, UW President Robert J. Jones joined the delegation for a presidential level visit. President Jones and his counterparts—President and CEO Naoto Ohtake, President and CAO Yujiro Tanaka, EVP Morio, and VP Hayashi—exchanged updates on institutional priorities and discussed opportunities for joint research and academic cooperation.
UW and Tohoku University launch the “Q‑DREAM” framework
Later that day, President Jones and Tohoku University President Hideo Tominaga held a signing ceremony to launch Q-DREAM, a major expansion of the universities’ decades-long partnership.
Q-DREAM establishes a forward-looking framework for collaboration in areas of shared strength, including quantum information science and engineering, disaster resilience, advanced manufacturing, and medicine.
“Addressing today’s complex challenges requires bold, collaborative solutions,” said UW President Robert J. Jones. “When leading research universities align around a shared vision, we amplify our ability to advance discovery, drive innovation and serve the public good. We look forward to deepening this partnership with Tohoku University and advancing our shared work in the years ahead.”
The agreement is expected to accelerate joint research, expand student and faculty exchanges, increase global visibility, and strengthen innovation ecosystems that connect academia, industry, and government. The first project under this partnership is the Quantum Fellowship which is set to launch this spring.
In addition, several recent UW Global Innovation Fund awardees plan to use their funding to support Q-DREAM activities with Tohoku University.
Expanding student exchange and innovation partnerships with Kobe University
On March 2, representatives from UW Global and CoMotion met with leaders from Kobe University to advance collaboration in research, education, and innovation. The two universities signed two new agreements that build on an existing academic exchange partnership. It’s worth noting that Seattle and Kobe have been sister cities since 1957, underscoring the deep ties between our two communities.
Student Exchange and Research Agreement (UW Global)
This agreement expands opportunities for student exchange and academic collaboration. We look forward to building closer ties as we welcome students from Kobe to UW and as our students study at Kobe University.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agreement (CoMotion)
This new memorandum of understanding formalizes a growing partnership focused on innovation, technology transfer, and global startup engagement. It builds on a broader UW–Kobe relationship established in 2023, which included a joint research workshop in Kobe.
CoMotion Associate Vice Provost for Innovation Strategy and Ventures Anson Fatland and CoMotion Labs Director Ashlee Esteban-Akimoto joined the meetings, underscoring UW’s commitment to supporting research translation and entrepreneurial activity on a global scale.
The agreement will facilitate the exchange of innovation and market intelligence between Seattle and Kobe, support startups exploring international opportunities, and create joint programs that connect researchers and entrepreneurs across borders. These efforts aim to strengthen both universities’ innovation ecosystems and help startups navigate global markets.
Two UW colleges meet with University of Tsukuba
Information School Dean Anind Dey and College of Engineering Dean Nancy Allbritton met with leaders from the University of Tsukuba to explore future collaboration opportunities. These will build the relationship beyond the X-PAI partnership that is in its second year and has launched successful AI research projects involving faculty at the two universities.
Together, these engagements reflect UW’s commitment to building meaningful, long-term partnerships that advance research, expand educational opportunities, and strengthen global impact. The Japan country spotlight continues to demonstrate how strategic, coordinated international engagement can amplify the University’s mission and benefit students, faculty, and communities in Washington and around the world.
These visits coincided with Converge Tokyo, the UW’s annual gathering for its global community, which brought nearly 300 alumni, friends and partners from Japan and across the world to connect across borders, hear from world-class experts, and celebrate Husky Spirit.
For 2025, the UW placed No. 7 among universities with 15,000 or more enrolled undergraduates in total number of Peace Corps volunteers, according to the Peace Corps. In total, more than 3,175 UW graduates have gone on to service opportunities abroad as volunteers.
UW Global announced that it has awarded $662,000 to 52 outstanding UW projects through the UW Global Innovation Fund (GIF). This year’s awards were distributed across 16 UW colleges and departments as well as UW Bothell and UW Tacoma. In addition, the funds will support projects across 34 countries. These projects will spark transformative global collaborations and advance interdisciplinarity across the UW.
The GIF seeds initiatives and programs developing collaborations that cross disciplines and geopolitical boundaries that will enhance the University of Washington’s global reach. The awards provide initial funding for faculty research proposals, innovative global learning experiences, and collaborations aligned with the University of Washington’s strategic initiatives and regional priorities.
In addition to funding provided by UW Global, these projects leveraged $162,966 in matching funds and $128,000 in partner university funds for a total of $662,000 in financial support for this year’s global projects. For the Tier 3 Partnership Awards in the Research category, our partner institutions included Aalto University, University of Helsinki, Tohoku University, The University of Manchester, and the University of Sheffield.
The GIF awards are presented in three categories: Research, Teaching & Curriculum, and Study Abroad & Away. Below we highlight the impact of a few of last year’s winning projects to illustrate how they are driving innovation, changing lives, and delivering on our mission to serve the greater good. We look forward to sharing about the impact of the 2026 projects next year.
Research
From Quantum Breakthroughs to Global Partnerships: UW-Tohoku Collaboration Gains Momentum
June 2025 | Seattle and Tokyo
A transpacific partnership between the University of Washington and Tohoku University is accelerating research at the frontier of quantum materials and AI innovation through high-impact workshops, cross-sector engagement, and a major new funding win.
Ting Cao, Assistant Professor, UW Materials Science & Engineering
The first workshop was hosted by Tohoku University in June 2025, which leading quantum materials UW researcher Ting Cao, joined. When geopolitical and policy constraints disrupted plans for additional workshops at Tohoku, the team pivoted with GIF’s support to support a series of events in Seattle in September 2025 as part of the UW-Tohoku Academic Open Space (AOS) initiative.
That pivot paid off. The program effectively blended academic rigor with industry insight, featuring site visits to Amazon’s AWS Skills Center and Amazon Go, alongside discussions on advanced data infrastructure. Parallel events—including a Quantum Academic Workshop and an AI Innovation Meetup—drew researchers, students, policymakers, and industry leaders into the same conversation around quantum science and artificial intelligence.
The partnership’s growing momentum is underscored by a major achievement: securing a $3.5 million, five-year grant from Japan’s JST ASPIRE program. This funding will expand global research networks, support early-career scientists, and increase opportunities for international mobility, ensuring the sustainability of the partnership.
UW faculty members Cynthia Chen, Di Xiao, Fumio Ohuchi, Lyra Chen, and Xiaodong Xu were each awarded GIF funds last year related to this program.
Looking ahead, the team plans to scale joint research, deepen student exchanges, and pursue additional funding opportunities. Additionally, they hope to establish the Academic Open Space (AOS) framework as a model for sustainable UW-Tohoku collaboration.
In a time when international collaboration faces acute challenges, this partnership demonstrates the global value of continuing to work across boundaries.
Teaching & Curriculum
Connecting Global Health Perspectives with Local Community Impact
2025-2026 academic year | Seattle
Dr. Katarina Mucha, UW Department of Global Health
Dr. Katarina Mucha (Department of Global Health) completed six videos presenting case studies that feature University of Washington (UW) alumni and graduate students working across diverse “glocal” health contexts. These videos highlight lived experiences and professional pathways that connect global health perspectives with local community impact in Washington State.
Each video provides students with a real-world case of how different UW alumni and graduate students have determined how they want to approach a career in global health through engagement with local communities. They serve as a personable and practical backbone to the asynchronous portion of the course, enhancing student engagement outside of in-person lecture time.
These narrative-driven case studies have enlivened Dr. Mucha’s undergraduate teaching and helped her students connect theory to practice. Each video was integrated into the Canvas site for the newly launched course, GH 375: Global Perspectives on Local Health Issues-Glocal Health, which Dr. Mucha taught for the first time in Winter 2026. These videos became foundational to the course design, serving as core preparatory material that complemented in-person lectures and guest speaker sessions. Importantly, these videos will remain permanently embedded within the Canvas site as a reusable, high-impact learning resource for future iterations of the course.
The GIF award directly contributed to the creation of a sustainable, reusable teaching resource that will continue to benefit future cohorts of students while amplifying diverse voices and experiences in glocal health.
Study Abroad & Away
Business Denmark: Decoding the Danish Model of Sustainability August 22 – September 11, 2025 | Copenhagen & Aarhus
The Business Denmark program, led by the Foster School of Business’ Dr. Abhinav Gupta, provided students with a deep, experiential understanding of how sustainability is practiced by leading organizations in Denmark, and examined the institutional, cultural, and strategic factors that position Denmark as a global pioneer in sustainability.
Dr. Abhinav Gupta, Foster School of Business
Over the course of three weeks, 17 students engaged directly with 18 organizations across Copenhagen and Aarhus, spanning corporations, social enterprises, and sustainability-focused institutions. The program emphasized immersive, on-the-ground learning: students visited facilities, toured offices, and interacted with senior leaders who approach sustainability in analytically rigorous and grounded ways. These engagements offered students a rare opportunity to move beyond abstract discussions and observe how sustainability is embedded in real organizational decision-making and operations.
Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the experience as transformative and life-changing, and it is clear that the program deepened students’ understanding of sustainability not just as an aspiration, but as a disciplined, implementable strategy.
The Business Denmark program represents a highly successful implementation of the Global Innovation Fund’s mission. It delivered a rigorous, immersive educational experience, fostered meaningful student learning, and established a strong foundation for continued growth and external partnership.
The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the award of four Tier 2 pilot grants to teams representing researchers from four different University of Washington schools and colleges as well as several community-based partners.
A total of $265,000 was awarded in this grant cycle, supported by funding from the Initiative along with additional matching contributions from schools, colleges, departments and UW Global.
UW Global provided a portion of the funding for the project called, “Co-designing a culturally responsive vaccine communication intervention with caregivers and community-based organizations to increase childhood vaccine uptake among East African children.”
Dr. Michelle Shin, UW School of Nursing, Department of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing
Resurgence of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV)—with 2025 marking the highest number of measles cases in 33 years and an ongoing outbreak in 2026—poses a significant population health threat in Washington. East African (EA) communities, including Somali, Eritrean, and Ethiopian populations, face disproportionately high risk due to low MMRV vaccination rates driven by misinformation and systemic barriers. Neighborcare, a community health clinic, and Dr. Michelle Shin from the UW School of Nursing’s Department of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, have identified that EA patients under age two have 60–69% lower odds of receiving at least one MMRV vaccine dose compared to peers. Providers and staff emphasized the need to collaborate with EA caregivers and community leaders “beyond the clinic walls” to address fears related to autism and concerns about gelatin in vaccines, but reported limited capacity to build meaningful partnerships.
To address these challenges, Neighborcare, the Somali Health Board, and Dr. Shin propose a tripartite partnership to develop a community-informed intervention using Intervention Mapping.
This project will generate two proofs-of-concept aligned with the Population Health pillars: (1) a community- and theory-informed intervention to increase MMRV vaccination, and (2) a scalable Community Healthcare Center–Community-Based Organization–academic partnership model that embeds culturally responsive strategies into clinical and community settings. The work will provide preliminary data to support future large-scale trials evaluating the intervention’s effectiveness and real-world implementation, advancing health equity.
Recognition from the U.S. Department of State highlights UW’s commitment to expanding access to study abroad for students with financial need
The University of Washington has been named a Top 25 producer of Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients, based on the number of students supported from 2001 to 2025. The recognition comes as the Gilman Program celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, and highlights the University of Washington’s longstanding commitment to expanding access to global learning opportunities on its three campuses.
The Gilman Program supports Pell Grant-eligible U.S. undergraduates with financial need in studying or interning abroad. At the University of Washington, this mission aligns closely with UW Global’s efforts to broaden participation in international education. Through advising, outreach, and targeted support, UW Study Abroad helps students from all backgrounds pursue international experiences that might otherwise be out of reach.
From 2012 to 2025, 484 UW students were awarded Gilman scholarships, totaling more than $994,000 in funding to support their study and internships abroad. In 2025 alone, 44 UW students were awarded a combined total of $137,500.
For many students, the Gilman Program is the catalyst that makes study abroad possible. Coket Mengesha, a UW senior studying Information Systems and Operations and Supply Chain Management, participated in the autumn 2025 UW Business Australia program. Coket reflected on the impact of her experience:
“The most meaningful part of my study abroad experience was immersing myself in an entirely new culture. As an American, it can be difficult at times to get out of the ‘American bubble’ and truly focus on what is happening in the rest of the world. Studying abroad in Australia allowed me to become familiar with a whole new country and gain a broader perspective on how a society can function.”
“We are proud to help UW students become strong candidates for and successful awardees of the Gilman Program, which opens doors to life-changing global experiences. We are grateful to partner with the U.S. Department of State in advancing this work,” said Ahmad Ezzeddine, UW vice provost for global affairs. “These opportunities strengthen students’ cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and global awareness. Through UW Global, we are committed to ensuring that every student, no matter their background, can engage with the world and return with perspectives that enrich our campus community.”
As the Gilman Program marks its 25th anniversary, the University of Washington continues to advance global learning opportunities. Through new program models, deeper partnerships, and increased financial support, UW Global is working to ensure that more students can pursue international experiences that contribute to their academic, personal, and professional growth.
About the Gilman International Scholarship
Established by the U.S. Congress, the Gilman Scholarship is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is aided in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. The next application cycle will be launched in early Fall 2026. To learn more about the Gilman Scholarship, visit gilmanscholarship.org.
Learn about scholarship opportunities at UW
The Gilman International Scholarship process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards (OMSFA), an Undergraduate Academic Affairs program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. To learn about additional scholarships for study abroad, please visit our Scholarships webpage.
About UW Global
UW Global is the University of Washington’s gateway to international engagement. We connect faculty, students, and staff with global opportunities in learning, teaching, and research — fostering cross-cultural understanding, collaboration, and innovation.
The University of Washington (UW) and Kobe University reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to academic and research collaboration on March 2, hosting a formal signing ceremony and international research workshop in Kobe, Japan. The event marked an important step forward in expanding joint initiatives across education, research, technology transfer, and innovation.
Expanding a longstanding partnership
UW Vice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad Ezzeddine and Kobe University President FUJISAWA Masato
Building on an existing academic memorandum of understanding, the two institutions signed new accords to deepen cooperation. These include a student exchange agreement between Kobe University and UW Global and an industry–university collaboration memorandum between Kobe University’s Institute for Academic Research and Co-Creative Innovation and UW’s CoMotion innovation hub.
Prior to the ceremony, the UW delegation met with Kobe University President FUJISAWA Masato. The delegation included: Dr. Ahmad M. Ezzeddine, Vice Provost for Global Affairs; Dr. Gayle Christensen, Associate Vice Provost for Global Affairs; Dr. Anson Fatland, Associate Vice Provost for Innovation Strategy and Ventures; and Ashlee Esteban-Akimoto, Director of CoMotion Labs.
During the meeting, leaders from both institutions discussed opportunities for expanded collaboration across a broad range of academic and innovation fields.
Strengthening ties across sectors
At the signing ceremony, President Fujisawa and Dr. Ezzeddine reaffirmed their shared commitment to increasing student exchange, advancing technology transfer, and promoting industry–government–academia collaboration.
Also in attendance were Mr. SEGO Tatsuya, Director General of the Kobe City Government, and Mr. TAKADA Atsushi, Vice Chairperson of the Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Both expressed strong support for expanding collaborative efforts with Kobe City and local industry partners, including the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe.
Showcasing cutting-edge research
Following the ceremony, an international research workshop was held at the Graduate School of Medicine’s Medtech Innovation Center (MIC). The program highlighted key research areas within the Kobe University Engineering Biology Project (KUEB), featuring presentations on next-generation biomedical science, engineering biology, and synthetic biology.
Researchers from both universities shared cutting-edge work in fields such as:
Translational bioengineering
Global health
Synthetic biology
AI applications in medicine
Vascular regeneration
Gene expression regulation in yeast
Genome database analysis
Each session included dynamic Q&A discussions, underscoring strong research synergies between the institutions. Participants also toured laboratory facilities to explore ongoing projects firsthand.
A foundation for future innovation
The signing ceremony and workshop created a comprehensive platform for deepening collaboration between Kobe University and the University of Washington—not only in education, but also in research partnerships, technology transfer, and innovation-driven startup activity.
Both universities will continue to build on this momentum, pursuing joint research and fostering innovation aimed at addressing global challenges and contributing to a sustainable future.
This broader relationship provides opportunities for joint research, education, and innovation in quantum, disaster resilience, engineering, advanced manufacturing, and medicine.
Tohoku University and the University of Washington (UW), two leading academic research institutions of the Pacific Rim, announced a significant expansion of their decades-long collaboration with the launch of “Q-DREAM.”
The agreement, signed by university leaders in Tokyo today, provides a broader, future-oriented framework that represents areas of the highest potential synergy. The two universities will engage in joint research, education and innovation in quantum information science & engineering, disaster resilience, engineering and advanced manufacturing, and medicine, summarized with the acronym Q-DREAM.
A monthly gathering for faculty who are engaged or interested in global work.
UW Global is pleased to invite faculty from across the University of Washington who are engaged in or curious about global work to join a new monthly gathering:
UW Global “Community Conversations”
This is not a lecture series. It is a welcoming and conversational space to meet colleagues, share food and drink, and connect around the many ways global perspectives show up in our teaching, research, and engagement. Whether your work involves international research, global learning, study abroad, visiting scholars, or exploring global issues locally, this is a place to get to know one another, exchange ideas, and build community.
Each month, we’ll feature a brief, informal spotlight such as a faculty project, a new global initiative, or an international guest on campus to spark conversation. The heart of the gathering, however, is the conversation itself: time to talk, listen, make connections, and learn what others across campus are doing.
When: First Tuesday of each month (during the academic year)
Where: UW Club
Format: Drop in, grab a snack, stay for as long as you like
First Gathering
Tuesday, March 3
3:00–5:00 p.m.
UW Club
For our inaugural gathering, Ahmad Ezzeddine, Vice Provost for Global Affairs, will offer brief opening remarks and reflections on UW Global’s mission and priorities, followed by plenty of time for conversation and connection.
Light food/snacks and beverages will be provided.RSVPs are appreciated to help us plan, but faculty are always welcome to stop by even if they decide at the last minute.
We hope this becomes a familiar rhythm on campus: if it’s the first Tuesday of the month, it’s UW Global “Community Conversations” at the UW Club. Come when you can, bring a colleague, and help build the vibrant community of globally engaged faculty at UW.
Professor Azadeh Yazdan, Professor Kelly Stevens, and Professor Cole DeForest, all from the UW department of bioengineering, have been named co-chairs of major bioengineering conferences, coming up this summer.
Professor Azadeh Yazdan will co-chair the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS 2026) in Toronto. Her co-chairs will be Professor Guy Dumont of the University of British Columbia and Milos Popovic of the University of Toronto. The society includes more than 10,000 members around the world, and its 48th annual conference’s theme will be “Engineer Sustainable and Equitable Healthcare.” UW Bioengineering’s Professor Paul Yager is scheduled to speak at the conference.
Professor Kelly Stevens, who is also director of the UW Biomaterials HUB, will co-chair Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices GRC, a leading forum for sharing cutting-edge research on the biology and engineering of cell-ECM crosstalk. The conference will be held in May in Switzerland. Her co-chair will be the University of California Santa Barbara’s Professor Beth Pruitt. UW Bioengineering’s Professors Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert and Elizabeth Wayne are scheduled to speak at the conference.
Finally, Professor Cole DeForest will co-chair Bioinspired Materials GRC, focusing on biomimetic solutions that have not yet been found, as well as areas where biomimicry leads to engineered solutions that have no natural counterpart. The conference will be held in June in Switzerland. His co-chair will be the University of Fribourg’s Professor Ullrich Steiner, and Bioengineering’s Professor Nancy Allbritton is scheduled to speak at the conference.
every Husky, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to transformative global learning experiences. We are working to remove barriers, broaden opportunity, and strengthen a vibrant network of alumni, partners, and supporters who share this commitment.
