Public event

The Ford School is pleased to present U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink for the 6th annual Arthur Vandenberg Lecture. Ambassador Brink will give brief remarks on the situation in Ukraine as it enters its third year of war with Russia, followed by a conversation with Weiser Diplomacy Center Director Susan D. Page. 

Democracy around the world is both robust -- two billion people will be able to cast a ballot in 2924 -- and fragile, as threats to the voting process, to the structures of democratic society, and to the voters themselves afflict many nations. 

Join us for a fireside chat with Charles Luftig, Deputy Director for National Intelligence Policy and Capabilities, as we commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA). Moderated by Javed Ali, this conversation will explore current intelligence and envision a future shaped by advances in technology like open source intelligence, social media, artificial intelligence, and language learning models.

Former United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), will join us to discuss the intricate relationship between health equity and economic resilience in Africa. Dr. Songwe's insights will highlight Africa's role in global power dynamics and strategies for asserting its agency amid evolving economic landscapes.

Meet representatives from our admissions team and learn more about the Ford School.

POSTPONED: the hosts are working to reschedule this event. Please join the Nam Center for Korean Studies and the Weiser Diplomacy Center as we welcome distinguished diplomats from two countries to the University of Michigan.

Join for a joint discussion hosted by the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the American Academy of Diplomacy with four former senior diplomats on the opportunities and challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Ford School is pleased to present Ambassador Julianne Smith, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, for the 5th annnual Arthur Vandenberg Lecture: "NATO today: Confronting the crisis in Ukraine and adapting to meet global challenges"

Join the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia for a conversation with Ukrainian-born retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council. We'll examine the current state of the war and its impacts on the Ukrainian people; the implications for global security; and prospects for peace and rebuilding.

Join communities across the United States in a national conversation on China by joining us for an on-site webcast presentation by Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., former US Ambassador to Russia, China and Singapore, followed by a local panel discussion.

Eric Schmitt and Dave Philipps will join Associate Professor of Practice Javed Ali in a conversation about their reporting, how it evolved, and the impact it has had on changing US policy with respect to civilian casualties that now extends outside the realm of just counterterrorism operations.

Leaders from North America and Europe will explore approaches to industrial heartland economic renewal in order to address one of the root causes of the polarizing politics undermining Western democracies and the transatlantic alliance. 

Key dates and deadlines for the November 8 election, plus how to register and vote.

A panel of former ambassadors hosted by the Weiser Diplomacy Center and the American Academy of Diplomacy will focus on the implications of the war in Ukraine globally and for NATO, Europe, Russia and China.

A discussion of the diplomacy between the United States, key NATO allies, and Russia surrounding the war in Ukraine.   

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president of Poland visits the University of Michigan to speak on the global impact of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Michigan will hold its primary election on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, and the Ford School strongly encourages all eligible voters to make their voices heard.

Michigan will hold a regular election on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, and voters may have measures or candidates on their local ballots. The Ford School strongly encourages all eligible voters to make their voices heard.

Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan's 8th district joins the Ford School for a special event, in partnership with Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies (LRCCS).

Join us for a special pair of discussions on foreign policy priorities and global challenges with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), facilitated by Ford School Dean Michael Barr.   

The 2022 North American Colloquium—on nationalism and extremism in North America—is a collaborative venture between the Autonomous National University of Mexico, University of Toronto, and University of Michigan. 

Gay McDougall and Jamil Dakwar will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context.

Dr. Robert Fatoon Jr. and Dr. Millery Polyné will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context.

Two Parents Circle-Families Forum members—an Israeli and a Palestinian—will join us to tell their personal stories of bereavement and explain their choice to engage in dialogue instead of revenge.

Dr. Kelebogile Zvobgo will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context.

The fourth webinar of the North American colloquium will discuss new approaches to countering nationalist extremism in North America.

Harry K. Thomas, Jr.—served as U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe (2016-2018), the Philippines (2010-2013) and Bangladesh (2003-2005) and is a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and a senior strategic engagement leader at Special Operations Command—will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context. 

Dr. Brenda Plummer will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context. 

The heyday of the human rights movement—the 1990s—is well behind us. At its peak, the human rights movement was the most captivating ideology of its time. 

The Brookings Institution's Africa Security Initiative will host a panel of experts—including Ambassador Susan D. Page, a professor of practice at the Ford School— to discuss the future of the Sudans, and what the United States and its partners can do to support them.