<p>Well, I have a slightly different take on the OPs purpose. As I perceived it, he wanted to know how any lesser known brands fared in Asia, as he was already aware of the obvious brands (e.g., Harvard, Michigan, Berkeley, et al.) Im assuming perhaps that his interest might be in terms of how they are perceived in business, for example (though I might be wrong about his intended purpose).</p>
<p>I think Wisconsin is a lesser brand relative to some of the others so it seems to fit with what the OP was asking about. From my personal acquaintance with several persons who live and work in the region, they speak highly of Wisconsin, and those who have ties to Wisconsin have been very successful in their endeavors. Though admittedly degrees from certain schools might impress many Asians or open some doors or provide access to some networks (and this may prove to be an initial advantage), the persons of my acquaintance do not perceive that they have run into barriers based on their degrees or their perceived status. They have served them very well, in other words. All of them had graduate and/or law degrees as well as strong cultural knowledge and linguistic skills, so this may have served to mitigate whatever initial disadvantage, if any, of a lesser brand. At the end of the day, I would maintain that its a persons competence and cultural awareness that will win over an initial advantage of the more prestigious brand. I would note that in this region, ones colleagues and competitors are not only other Americans, but also Brits, Germans, Aussies, New Zealanders, et al., most of whom are highly experienced and competent. Even though many of them also have lesser brands, they also fare well. </p>
<p>I suspect your circles might be different than those of the persons Ive talked to. The work of the persons with whom Im acquainted ranges from general legal and business activities to teaching to consulting, including advising foreign governments. Areas of their experience and expertise include foreign trade/WTO issues, legal reform, business regulation, the IMF, and various development projects through US government and European agencies. Theyve worked most extensively in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, but also have experience in China and across the SE Asian region, including Laos and Cambodia.</p>