The La Follette School has had a long-standing relationship with the Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with La Follette School faculty providing leadership for WAGE. This includes professor Jonathan Zeitlin as director since 2004. Professor emeritus and former La Follette School director Donald Nichols also served a stint as WAGE director.
La Follette and WAGE team up on conferences, speakers, visiting professors, research and outreach, including efforts to study new ways of governance, environmental sustainability, current account sustainability and global economic systems.