Since 2014, NU students have regularly enrolled in summer courses at UW–Madison through the Visiting International Students Program (VISP). Hosted by the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA), the sixth cohort of NU students spent their summer at UW in 2019.
In Summer 2014 and 2015, 30 undergraduate students from SSH [formerly the School of Humanities and Social Sciences] and 30 undergraduate students from the former School of Science and Technology (SST) studied at UW–Madison through VISP (Agreement 4). In Summer 2016, 20 students from SSH and 15 students from the NU School of Engineering (SEng) enrolled in L&S and College of Engineering summer session courses at UW–Madison. In Summer 2017, UW–Madison welcomed 42 NU VISP students, 14 from each of the three undergraduate Schools (SHSS, SST, and SEng). In Summers 2018 and 2019, UW–Madison hosted 14 students from SSH.
In the first two years of the NU VISP program, UW–Madison offered cohort courses. For the SSH students, UW–Madison political science and economics faculty designed a course focused on social science research methodology, with a required research project. Similarly, the SST students took a scientific research methods course designed by geology faculty and also completed an empirical science research project. In addition to their cohort course, each student enrolled in one or two other summer session courses. Since 2016, all NU VISP students have enrolled in at least two regular summer session courses that were relevant for their individual program of study.
In addition to their coursework, UW–Madison staff and students have provided them with a variety of academic support services, including writing tutoring, library assistance, peer mentoring, and academic advising. During their stay in Madison, UW-NU partnership principals also have utilized the time students are on-campus to provide complimentary training for them in peer-advising/coaching and other areas that contribute to the continued development of a holistic learning environment at NU.
To round out this study abroad experience, CREECA, VISP and the UW-NU partnership team have organized regular social and cultural activities and programming, including creating the NU UW (previously titled “WisKaz”) language partner program, attending a Mallards baseball game, and taking field trips to Devil’s Lake and Chicago. Through these and other activities in and around Madison and campus, visiting Kazakhstani students usually have a rewarding “Wisconsin experience”.