Outreach

We support the Wisconsin Idea through our efforts to create and share research across the state and around the world.

Supporting evidence-based policy

Partner with La Follette students

Each year, our students partner with public, nonprofit, and private sector organizations to address real-world challenges. These partnerships provide research and analytic support to organizations and experience for our students

Find an expert

Our faculty members regularly discuss their world-class policy research with the media and policymakers.

Professor Menzie Chinn talks with someone in front of a whiteboard

Connecting with policymakers

Our school has a long history of collaboration with legislators and policymakers, sharing research to inform decision-making and make a positive difference in people’s lives.

View inside the Wisconsin State Capitol rotunda.

Outreach events

Every year, we convene policy experts to inform and engage the the public.

La Follette Policy Poll

A speech bubble with a question mark overlaps with a speech bubble with a silhouette of Wisconsin.

In 2022, we polled 5,000 Wisconsin residents about the issues that matter to them most and the problems they most want solved. The poll results shed light on both consensus and divisions in the Badger State.

View results

The Wisconsin Idea

One of the longest and deepest traditions surrounding the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Idea signifies a general principle: that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Our faculty, students, and staff practice the Wisconsin Idea across the state and around the world by supporting evidence-based policy research and convening conversations.

Discover the Wisconsin Idea