The priority deadline for CESSI 2024 may have passed, but you still have until April 1 to finish your application and apply for Title VIII and CESSI Tuition Remission funding – no fooling! Follow the link below for more information, and read on for more CESSI updates!

Happy International Women's Day from your friends at CESSI! Today we recognize and honor the important women in each of our lives!

Ramadan Mubarak to all those who will observe the beginning of this holy month of prayer and mindfulness on March 10.

Happy Persian New Year on March 19! Наурыз құтты болсын! Navro'z bayrami bilan tabriklayman! Наврузатон пируз бод! Noruz Mubarek!

Save the date for the WISLI Student Conference on June 29, 2024! Take advantage of this great academic opportunity by showing off your research and networking with other scholars in various areas of study! This is a hybrid event, taking place in-person at the UW-Madison Pyle Center and via Zoom. In-person and distance learners are encouraged to participate. Attendance at the conference is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.

Congratulations to former Kazakh instructor Moldir Oskenbay, whose photo above won the CALS Global Day 2024 photo contest last month! Moldir's photo captured a moment from the Kazakh language table at the Memorial Union Terrace during CESSI 2022 and was selected by CALS Global Day attendees for its connection to the "Wisconsin and the World" theme. By hosting institutes like CESSI, the university emphasizes the importance of global perspectives and cross-cultural understanding. In this particular instance, the students contribute to the cultural richness of Wisconsin by sharing their language, traditions, and national pride on the Memorial Union Terrace. The photo encapsulates the university's commitment to creating a global community where students from around the world come together to learn, exchange ideas, and celebrate their unique backgrounds.

Elliot Napier studied Kazakh at CESSI 2023 and shared this testimonial from his experience: 

"Learning Kazakh has really enabled me to move closer to a decolonial approach to my research. Up until now, I could only speak to research participants in what are, for many of them, foreign languages that are often linked to colonial legacies. Knowing Kazakh allows me to approach my research with greater respect for Kazakhstan's culture and people.

The supportive and creative atmosphere at WISLI was incredible. The flexibility of the instructors to teach to the individual needs of the students was also amazing.

The city of Madison was definitely one of the highlights. It’s a really lovely place to live and study for summer. Of course, I didn’t expect to dislike Madison, but I was really surprised by how much I liked it. There’s so much happening, the people are so friendly, and there’s always something fun happening."

The Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute was founded in 2011 by a consortium of international and area studies centers at major U.S. universities. We're grateful for the support of these current consortium member institutions: Columbia University's Harriman Institute, Harvard University's Davis Center for Russian & Eurasian Studies, Michigan State University's Asian Studies Center and Center for European, Russian, & Eurasian Studies, The Ohio State University's East Asian Studies Center and Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Stanford University's Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, University of California-Berkeley's Institute of Slavic, East European, & Eurasian Studies, Institute of East Asian Studies, and Tang Center for Silk Road Studies, University of Kansas' Center for East Asian Studies and Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, University of Pittsburgh's Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, University of Washington's Center for Global Studies and East Asia Center, and University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Russia, East Europe, & Central Asia and Center for East Asian Studies.