Impact Areas

Life-Changing Education

Michigan football player celebrates on field after winning Rose Bowl

Look to the Advocates

Look to the Advocates of opportunity who expand the boundaries of learning for everyone.

Learning has the power to transform everything it touches. Access to education and life-changing experiences improves lives and expands knowledge to create a positive impact on the future of our society.

As the world’s population grows and more people seek new knowledge, skills, and experiences that will define who they are, our nation faces opportunities and challenges in education. Accessibility gaps limit human potential. Troves of information — available at a keystroke — reinforce the importance of thinking critically about the world. Educators who will mentor our future leaders are in short supply and broad disparities within education persist.

U-M views equal access to education as a key steppingstone to active citizenship, societal contribution, and personal fulfillment. As a public institution, we welcome the opportunity to support leveling the ground for all, regardless of their circumstances.

With this understanding, U-M will work to expand access by addressing affordability and student success for individuals from all backgrounds, while also leading the way in transforming educational models.

In the next decade, U-M will become the place where others turn to see what revolutionizing education can look like. We will continue to leverage our robust expertise across education, academic innovation, research, technology, athletics, and the arts to educate the next generation of leaders who one day will redefine their fields by pushing the boundaries of research, education, and clinical care.

We also recognize that education doesn’t merely happen inside of a classroom. The extracurricular offerings on all of our campuses — including access to the arts, clinics, studios, athletics, recreational sports, clubs, and civic organizations — are an essential part of what makes a U-M experience special. We are committed to supporting U-M faculty and staff in their development through best-in-class training, support, and continuing education.

Central to our commitment to drive change, U-M continues to test new models to deliver collaborative, interdisciplinary, and experiential learning in novel, creative ways. We deliver education that allows our learners to engage from a global and multidisciplinary perspective, and an action-based approach that provides extensive opportunities for international experiences. These efforts will extend beyond the walls of our campuses, offering engaged, lifelong learning opportunities.

Our comprehensive approach will redefine post-secondary education as a complex continuum of lifelong growth and learning opportunities.

POINTS OF IMPACT:

  • Develop a nurturing environment for learners that promotes comprehensive growth and extends the educational journey beyond academics to the full array of experiences at U-M.
  • Create a future in which a U-M education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential by expanding access, offerings, and delivery to a more diverse community of individuals.
  • Transform the educational experience by investing in innovative teaching methods, educational models and modalities, and experiential learning opportunities that meet the needs of today’s learners.
  • Continue to address the issue of affordability and build robust programs to support student success, ensuring that all aspiring students have an equal opportunity to access and fully immerse themselves in the transformative U-M experience, regardless of their background.