WiSys Technology Foundation and the UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations will collaborate to advance entrepreneurship education at UW System comprehensive campuses
MADISON – Entrepreneurs across the University of Wisconsin will have access to Web-based educational resources in 2011. The entrepreneurship resources are the result of a dynamic partnership between the WiSys Technology Foundation and UW-Madison’s Office of Corporate Relations. UW System President Kevin Reilly announced the collaboration today during the Board of Regents meeting in Milwaukee.
“Entrepreneurship education and training is vital to advancing Wisconsin’s knowledge-based economy, and we are glad to contribute to the learning of our faculty and students at UW System comprehensive campuses,” said Maliyakal John, WiSys managing director. An affiliate of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, WiSys works with the 11 UW comprehensive campuses to facilitate cutting-edge research programs.
“For students to become entrepreneurs, they need education and exposure to the principles and practices of entrepreneurship,” added Charles Hoslet, managing director of UW-Madison’s Office of Corporate Relations (OCR). His office, which serves the university by connecting its resources with business and industry, is coordinating a five-year grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City to “transform the way colleges and universities prepare students for success in the American economy.”
According to Hoslet and John, OCR will support the development of entrepreneurship courses by WiSys, which is facilitating the formation of emerging technology centers at UW System comprehensive campuses.
“WiSys is increasing the research capacity of our four-year campuses, and it only makes sense for us to also promote entrepreneurship education and efforts to spark the development of new companies that can move discoveries into the marketplace,” explained John.
The first phase of the educational program, which will be delivered as a Web-based course, is expected to be completed by early 2011. The grant also will allow WiSys and OCR to organize a Kauffman Entrepreneurship Workshop as part of the Wisconsin Science & Technology Symposium (WSTS), an annual scientific conference organized by WiSys to showcase technology breakthroughs achieved in the comprehensive campuses. The WSTS 2010 symposium is scheduled for July 22-23 on the UW-Green Bay campus.
Media Contact:
Maliyakal John
maliyakal@warf.org
608-265-2135
About WiSys Technology Foundation http://www.wisys.org/
WiSys, an affiliate of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), has been working with the 11 UW System comprehensive campuses to facilitate cutting-edge research programs, protect and generate patentable discoveries, and foster the career development and scholarship required for today’s knowledge-based society.
About the Office of Corporate Relations http://www.ocr.wisc.edu/
OCR serves as the “front door to university resources for business and industry” and focuses on providing service to companies interested in recruiting UW-Madison graduates, employee professional development, technology transfer, enhancing global competency, and fostering entrepreneurship.