The Weiser Diplomacy Center serves as a hub for engagement with the foreign policy community, bringing a diverse cadre of seasoned diplomats and foreign policy experts to campus and creating new opportunities for students and faculty.
Ambassador Ronald N. Weiser (BBA ’66) and Eileen L. Weiser (MMus ’75) have allocated a $1.1 million gift to establish the Weiser Family Fund for Student International Policy Engagement at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public...
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
This roundtable is tailored to inspire and equip future policymakers with real-world insights into peacebuilding, resilience, and the practicalities of diplomatic work amidst conflict.
Policy Talks @ the Ford School,
Conversations Across Differences
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall
Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
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 us for "International & Domestic Implications of Government Accountability: A Conversation with Inspector General Jay Lerner," where Lerner will discuss his career in government oversight and the vital role of Inspectors General in ensuring transparency and integrity in both domestic and international contexts.
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 us for an inside look at how the FBI is tackling the evolving threats to U.S. elections, from cyberattacks to terrorism. Deputy Director Abate will discuss the FBI's latest strategies and hard-earned lessons in defending democracy.
Watch live from this page
Vandenberg Lecture,
Policy Talks @ the Ford School
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.
Betty Ford Classroom (Room 1110)
Joan & Sanford Weill Hall
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 Mark Jacobson, a seasoned veteran who has made significant contributions to NATO, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and held key roles at the Department of Defense. Mark's journey spans academia and military service.
Discover the captivating journey of President Zelensky's former press secretary and a globally acclaimed journalist. Uncover the behind-the-scenes stories of her impactful work in Ukraine and the dynamic world of journalism!
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 Weiser Diplomacy Center will host a policy simulation at the Ford School this fall. In this exercise, students will learn about the crisis in Cyprus and be tasked with using diplomacy to address a variety of urgent issues in this scenario.
Join the Weiser Diplomacy Center for an information session with Lou Fintor, the Ford School’s Diplomat in Residence, a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer offering State Department career, internship, and fellowship information.
Join Brent McIntosh, UM alumna and former Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs for a discussion of the power, limits, and risks of economic sanctions as a tool of U.S. statecraft and the evolution of institutions of global financial coordination.
Policy Talks @ the Ford School,
Vandenberg Lecture
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"
This panel will analyze historical and contemporary instances of sexual violence by state and non-state actors amid armed conflict in South Asia, and discuss some policy and diplomacy tools for violence prevention.
This is the third workshop of IPC’s "Aid & Development" series. At "Aid & Development" events, students build practical skills for future international development careers.
The Peacemaker explores how Ronald Reagan and his national security team developed a multifaceted and successful Cold War strategy to win a peaceful victory over Soviet communism.
Drawing on unprecedented access to all six surviving members of Team Alpha - the first Americans behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001 - Harnden tells the story of how the CIA and Green Berets infiltrated into the mountains of northern Afghanistan in a mission reminiscent of the OSS in World War II.
