Public event

Explore the shifting landscape of U.S. foreign assistance, examining its evolving commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in a changing global context.

This event will explore national security and foreign policy across the Biden and Trump administrations, offering a deep dive into key issues shaping the 2020s.

Discover the path forward for Syria, navigating the hurdles of recovery and the potential for global collaboration after years of turmoil.

Explore the global competition for critical minerals and the geopolitical tensions shaping international relations.

Please join Baktygul Chynybaeva (Kyrgyzstan), Kunāl Majumder (India), and Zahra Nader (Afghanistan), three of this year's Knight-Wallace Fellows, as they discuss the challenges of reporting on human rights abuses by governments and other actors.

International experts will discuss key challenges Ukraine will face after the war and provide recommendations to the incoming U.S. administration.

University of Michigan’s African Studies Center (ASC) is holding a symposium titled “Sudan: In The Eye of the Storm” to encourage dialogues on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing the country of Sudan. The event is co-sponsored with the Weiser Diplomacy Center and the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies

In the year since the Hamas attack on Israel, the deadly conflict has widened into crises beyond Gaza -- in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen. Two experts with long experience in Middle East policymaking return to the Ford School for a substantive policy conversation about the conflict and the broader implications for the region, and the ways in which U.S. policy and policymakers are acting and reacting to the crises. This event is open to Ford School students, faculty, and staff, and will be streamed live and on-demand.

Join this year's Ambassadors' Forum for an in-depth look at the escalating crises in the Middle East and the critical questions surrounding the region’s stability and international involvement.

Join this year's Ambassadors' Forum for an in-depth look at the escalating crises in the Middle East and the critical questions surrounding the region’s stability and international involvement.

Dive into the key forces shaping the 2024 election and explore reforms that could strengthen democratic engagement for the future.

Dive into the key forces shaping the 2024 election and explore reforms that could strengthen democratic engagement for the future.

Join us for an inside look at how the FBI is tackling the evolving threats to U.S. elections, from cyberattacks to terrorism. Deputy Director Abbate will discuss the FBI's latest strategies and hard-earned lessons in defending democracy.

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.