Internationalizing the Wisconsin Idea
By Jonathan Gramling
One of the major reasons the University of Wisconsin-Madison is considered a world-class educational and
research institution is its ability to attract international students. At any given time, there are approximately 3,800
international students enrolled at the Madison campus. While they take full advantage of the intellectual pursuits
that the university offers, their presence also enhances the academic environment for students from Wisconsin and
the United States. And international students often take valuable lessons back to their countries that benefit their
countries’ economic, political, scientific and social development.
While many international students are drawn to the Madison campus to conduct scientific research and to study
business, international students can be found in most colleges and educational endeavors on campus. Take Rylsuke
Shibuya, for instance. Shibuya is a graduating senior from Japan who majored in history. And he feels that the
liberal arts play an equally important role as science and business in the development of countries around the world.
“We have to be able to understand the history in order to have a better future,” Shibuya said during an interview after
a UW reception that honored the graduating international students at the Pyle Center. “We can’t ignore what
happened before. In order for us to have a better civilization and better communication, we must understand history.
It doesn’t matter whether you are in business or engineering. I think studying history made me a very well-rounded
person. I can understand and respect different values. I know those values. I am extremely happy. This university and
the history department have been extremely good for me. I met a lot of good professors. It’s been a great thing and
really opened my eyes up.”
And while Shibuya is taking away an excellent education from the UW, he is also taking away something he didn’t
necessarily intend to study here: the Wisconsin Idea. “I think the Wisconsin Idea is a unique concept, given the UW-
Madison is a very prestigious institution and really tries to reach out to communities and try to solve problems that
really matter to us every day,” Shibuya said. “In that sense, I don’t think this university is really elitist. And I don’t think
we should be. I think it really is important that we connect to the day-to-day problems that the people really struggle
with. If the university as an institution can provide solutions, that is what the university is all about.”
As the world continues to “shrink” due to escalating advances in communications and transportation and the
globalization of the economy, the problems that any one country faces are also becoming global in nature, be they
global warming, genocide or hunger. And in Shibuya’s view, international students are already prepared to assist the
nations of the world to combat these world-class problems. International students have lived in at least two countries
and know at least two languages. And they have learned how to transition between cultures.
“More and more of our problems are international in scope,” Shibuya said. “International cooperation is important,
especially in the 21st century context. It’s not just good enough if you just understand the one culture. You have to
understand different values and respect different cultures in order for you to be able to contribute. That’s a lot
different than what was going on 30-40 years ago. It used to be that if you had a principle that isn’t necessarily
accepted by a lot of people, then that was okay. But that’s not how the world works now. You have to understand
different values and cultures. And I think international students already do that on campus. So why don’t we just go
out and do it more.”
And what Shibuya thinks the world needs is the Wisconsin Idea implemented on a global basis. “In the 21st
century — the Wisconsin Idea came in 1904, a century ago — we have to expand the definition of the Wisconsin
Idea to the international context,” Shibuya emphasized. “We have to see the problems that the world has, not only
the state of Wisconsin. We have to see what problems we face as a global community and then try to solve those
problems. I hope this university stays on that course of being realistic and see what the problems are and try to
provide solutions to the toughest problems that we face every day like global warming and terrorism.”
After he graduates, Shibuya plans to take a small step in that direction and hopes to land a job that would allow
him to put some of his ideals into action. “One of the things I’m really interested in is what we call social
investment,” Shibuya said. “It’s really kind of a new industry. It is a financial investment, but you only invest money in
companies that are responsible, companies that are environmentally responsible. This would be a way for me to
contribute to the world. It really isn’t in a direct way. I’m also looking at NGOs and things like that in an international
context. I’m very interested in diplomacy and foreign relations. I am a Japanese citizen right now. If I can work
between the United States and Japan in a government basis or in the future I can work at the UN and go to Africa. I
just want to try to contribute to the world. That’s the bottom line no matter which way it is.”
Armed with the knowledge of what has gone on before, Rylsuke Shibuya can now pursue his belief that the
international educational community should share the fruits of its academic and research endeavors to benefit
humankind, from the poorest of the poor on up. He is ready to help internationalize the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea.
One of the major reasons the University of Wisconsin-Madison is considered a world-class educational and
research institution is its ability to attract international students. At any given time, there are approximately 3,800
international students enrolled at the Madison campus. While they take full advantage of the intellectual pursuits
that the university offers, their presence also enhances the academic environment for students from Wisconsin and
the United States. And international students often take valuable lessons back to their countries that benefit their
countries’ economic, political, scientific and social development.
While many international students are drawn to the Madison campus to conduct scientific research and to study
business, international students can be found in most colleges and educational endeavors on campus. Take Rylsuke
Shibuya, for instance. Shibuya is a graduating senior from Japan who majored in history. And he feels that the
liberal arts play an equally important role as science and business in the development of countries around the world.
“We have to be able to understand the history in order to have a better future,” Shibuya said during an interview after
a UW reception that honored the graduating international students at the Pyle Center. “We can’t ignore what
happened before. In order for us to have a better civilization and better communication, we must understand history.
It doesn’t matter whether you are in business or engineering. I think studying history made me a very well-rounded
person. I can understand and respect different values. I know those values. I am extremely happy. This university and
the history department have been extremely good for me. I met a lot of good professors. It’s been a great thing and
really opened my eyes up.”
And while Shibuya is taking away an excellent education from the UW, he is also taking away something he didn’t
necessarily intend to study here: the Wisconsin Idea. “I think the Wisconsin Idea is a unique concept, given the UW-
Madison is a very prestigious institution and really tries to reach out to communities and try to solve problems that
really matter to us every day,” Shibuya said. “In that sense, I don’t think this university is really elitist. And I don’t think
we should be. I think it really is important that we connect to the day-to-day problems that the people really struggle
with. If the university as an institution can provide solutions, that is what the university is all about.”
As the world continues to “shrink” due to escalating advances in communications and transportation and the
globalization of the economy, the problems that any one country faces are also becoming global in nature, be they
global warming, genocide or hunger. And in Shibuya’s view, international students are already prepared to assist the
nations of the world to combat these world-class problems. International students have lived in at least two countries
and know at least two languages. And they have learned how to transition between cultures.
“More and more of our problems are international in scope,” Shibuya said. “International cooperation is important,
especially in the 21st century context. It’s not just good enough if you just understand the one culture. You have to
understand different values and respect different cultures in order for you to be able to contribute. That’s a lot
different than what was going on 30-40 years ago. It used to be that if you had a principle that isn’t necessarily
accepted by a lot of people, then that was okay. But that’s not how the world works now. You have to understand
different values and cultures. And I think international students already do that on campus. So why don’t we just go
out and do it more.”
And what Shibuya thinks the world needs is the Wisconsin Idea implemented on a global basis. “In the 21st
century — the Wisconsin Idea came in 1904, a century ago — we have to expand the definition of the Wisconsin
Idea to the international context,” Shibuya emphasized. “We have to see the problems that the world has, not only
the state of Wisconsin. We have to see what problems we face as a global community and then try to solve those
problems. I hope this university stays on that course of being realistic and see what the problems are and try to
provide solutions to the toughest problems that we face every day like global warming and terrorism.”
After he graduates, Shibuya plans to take a small step in that direction and hopes to land a job that would allow
him to put some of his ideals into action. “One of the things I’m really interested in is what we call social
investment,” Shibuya said. “It’s really kind of a new industry. It is a financial investment, but you only invest money in
companies that are responsible, companies that are environmentally responsible. This would be a way for me to
contribute to the world. It really isn’t in a direct way. I’m also looking at NGOs and things like that in an international
context. I’m very interested in diplomacy and foreign relations. I am a Japanese citizen right now. If I can work
between the United States and Japan in a government basis or in the future I can work at the UN and go to Africa. I
just want to try to contribute to the world. That’s the bottom line no matter which way it is.”
Armed with the knowledge of what has gone on before, Rylsuke Shibuya can now pursue his belief that the
international educational community should share the fruits of its academic and research endeavors to benefit
humankind, from the poorest of the poor on up. He is ready to help internationalize the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea.
Rylsuke Shibuya
Jonathan Gramling is the
publisher & editor of The Capital
City Hues
publisher & editor of The Capital
City Hues