About Us

The International Institute (II) brings together distinguished and diverse faculty and scholars with deep area studies and international expertise to enrich the university’s intellectual environment and to provide the U-M community with the knowledge, tools, and experience to become informed and active global citizens. We advance this mission through education, engagement, and innovation.

Established within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts in 1993, the II stimulates research and teaching on critical areas of the world and on international issues that cut across world regions and disciplines. The institute fosters cooperation among the university’s departments, schools, and colleges by developing and supporting international teaching, research, and public affairs programming that help students and faculty see the world through a global lens.

The II houses 16 centers and programs focused on specific world regions and global themes. Our centers rank among the nation’s finest in their respective fields of study and bring together faculty experts from across the U-M campus. Currently, the II is home to six National Resource Centers and six centers that award Foreign Language and Area Studies grants with Title VI funding from the U.S. Department of Education. These designations are earned in prestigious national peer-reviewed competitions.

Each year, the II and its centers distribute over $4 million to U-M faculty and students, resulting in approximately 500 awards for international study and research. These awards promote global understanding across the campus and help build connections with intellectuals and institutions worldwide.