What is CIFS?

The Center for Interdisciplinary French Studies (CIFS) at UW-Madison was formally established in the year 2000 to advance the study of French in all domains. The Center's mission was defined to take advantage of existing synergies across the university, with industry, with the private sector, and with the general public in Wisconsin and beyond, and to work in cooperation with the network of Centres pluridisciplinaires, privileged partners with the French Cultural Service in higher education.

Creation of CIFS recognized long-standing ties between the Department of French and Italian and other departments and programs at the UW in the humanities, the social sciences, business, education, law, the arts and, increasingly, medicine and the life sciences, as well as outreach programs for teachers, business and government professionals.

The Center is affiliated with the International Institute where it is a member of the European Studies Alliance. Its administrative office is housed within the Department of French and Italian.