The Vision

Together, we will redefine the power of higher education in the public interest

This moment demands we be ambitious in ways that only the University of Michigan can. With its sharpened focus, our initiative will be known as the Look to Michigan vision. By aligning our strategic vision with our comprehensive campaign, Look to Michigan creates a powerful and unifying narrative, inviting the world to see our university as the place where bold ideas, transformative research, creative endeavors, and the education of tomorrow’s leaders come together in the public interest.

As the most comprehensive and distinguished public university in the world, the University of Michigan bears a profound responsibility not only to lead in scholarship and innovation but also to serve as a thoughtful compass in challenging times.

In an era marked by growing skepticism toward institutions, Michigan will rise to the challenge. We will develop unique programs that address critical challenges, create new opportunities for learning and growth, and bring hope to our state, nation, and world. Our amplified endeavor will unite scholars, staff, students, and citizens to co-create solutions, consider all perspectives, and rebuild the social contract through evidence-based policy, honest and holistic dialogue, and measurable accountability. We will carry out this work with radical transparency, ethical leadership, and deep community engagement.

Universities, by their nature, are bold. What sets Michigan apart is a determination driven by the intellectual depth and expanse of our world-class faculty, the curiosity and energy of our students, and the myriad talents of our staff, all with a deep commitment to serving the public good.

This is our legacy and our promise. In the 19th century, Michigan pledged to provide an uncommon education for the common person, including opening our doors to women; the impact is the world’s most extensive alumni base in service to society. The 20th century saw Michigan innovate in survey research and transform the social sciences, delivering pioneering insights about health and the human condition. The dawn of the 21st century, with its transformative technologies, compelled Michigan to step forward and lead with the digitization of our vast library, making knowledge free and accessible with no geographic boundaries.

Michigan has the credibility and conscience to demonstrate how we work effectively for our fellow citizens. Acting with strength, strategy, and vision is the best way to save lives, create opportunities, and improve the quality of life at incredible scale. This is our mission and our pledge to those we serve. Michigan will lead – forever, in the public interest.

To achieve these goals with greater effectiveness, we are updating the original core pillars that defined Vision 2034. These changes enhance the significant insights produced by all the Vision 2034 collaborations, building perspectives that will allow us to sustain and deepen public trust.

Look to Michigan

We will deliver the life-changing education that changes our world. This education will focus on students’ selfhood, agency, and purpose, empowering them to lead with integrity, intellectual empathy, and rational thought. Grounded in academic excellence, a Michigan education must demonstrate the transformative and essential role a public university and its graduates play in shaping a just and vibrant society.

Human health and well-being are crucial to everyone. Advancing these will necessitate discovering and adopting novel approaches and treatments that address physical, mental, and social health, with a focus on fairness, access, and community partnership. Leveraging today’s rapidly advancing technology to improve health and well-being will be a driving force that capitalizes on the tremendous breadth of our great university.

Through bold democratic, civic, and global engagement, we will model what it means to convene and engage across ideological viewpoints, restore and elevate free inquiry, civic discourse and engagement, and strengthen democratic institutions through education and action.

Our leadership in energy, climate action, sustainability, and environmental equity will reflect solutions and approaches that demonstrate an understanding of the seemingly insatiable need to fuel our society. We will do this while also considering the consequences of environmental harm on various communities, as well as being accountable to future generations and those communities disproportionately affected.

Finally, as creators and stewards of advanced technology, we will develop and harness innovation responsibly, ensuring that breakthroughs in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, data science, nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and digital and urban infrastructure, among many others, serve the common good and improve the human condition. We will develop these technologies with transparency and public input.

These pillars are not simply goals. They are how Michigan, through collaboration, research, and excellence at scale, reaffirms its credibility and redefines what it means to be a trusted, indispensable public institution in a time when we must earn that trust anew.

Investment and accountability

Moving from vision to impact demands both human talent and financial investment.

Thousands of faculty, staff, and students have contributed to this blueprint, and we will continue to rely on their intellect and ideas moving forward. Our success is rooted in the strength and creativity of our community.

We recognize the uncertainties of today’s financial climate and are responding decisively through established budget procedures and efficient fiscal management. The Look to Michigan vision transcends today. It is a daring, future-focused initiative designed to deliver lasting value to society—both now and for generations to come.

To achieve our Look to Michigan vision, we will continue our longstanding partnerships with federal and state governments, as well as our donors, and wisely use the resources they provide to make our world safer, healthier, and more equitable. We will also identify internal strategic investment funds, including returns on our endowment, investment dividends, and financial reserves. Our $1 billion commitment, launched in 2024, will be sustained through a renewable yearly investment of $100 million.

We will earn and maintain the public’s faith in our service by measuring results through transparent, rigorous performance metrics that demonstrate the return on this investment.

We are inspired by the words of James B. Angell, who led Michigan for 38 years as president: “It is of vital consequence that this University, or any one which deserves the public favor, should be constantly improving in some respect. If … not … it does not deserve to be favored or helped…” Our nation is in need, and Michigan answers. Now is the time to look to Michigan for leadership, vision, and trust.

Authored by Domenico Grasso, PhD, President