Our goals: UMSI's strategic plan

Humanity is more connected and creates more information than ever before. When information is accurate, transparent, and freely accessible, it lays a foundation for resilient, equitable societies, accelerated scientific advancement, and informed, engaged citizens. Shaping the future of information for the greater good exceeds the reach of any single discipline. It requires diverse perspectives and expertise working together to build a world where information empowers individuals and strengthens communities.

The University of Michigan School of Information is uniquely positioned to rise to this challenge with our legacy of interdisciplinary problem-solving, collaboration, and a deep commitment to excellence, innovation, and social impact. Our strategic plan charts a comprehensive course for 2030 that engages our whole organization in leading the way to a better information future. 

Here are the goals we are pursuing...

Increase practical impact and visibility of our work

Building a better world is core to UMSI’s mission. The school has organically developed practices around connecting our research and academic programs with the needs of community organizations, policymakers, industry practitioners, and the general public. Creating more unified frameworks and institutional backing for diverse forms of impact will increase our ability to drive meaningful change. 

Objectives

• Increase translational research outputs like policy briefs, infographics, toolkits, and other approachable and accessible formats.
• Increase connections between UMSI and policymakers, community leaders, and industry practitioners.
• Enhance research-related school communication strategies.
• Strengthen support for initiating and sustaining community-engaged research.
• Enhance opportunities for engaged learning and continuously improve the partnership experience.

Promote and protect information integrity and access  

A trustworthy, resilient information ecosystem is fundamental to the health of individuals, organizations, and democratic societies. With our depth of expertise in social media, community and health informatics, library and archival sciences, tech policy, data science, human-computer interaction, and AI ethics, UMSI is poised to tackle critical threats to information integrity—such as misinformation, disinformation, bias, hate speech, and censorship—while promoting information literacy, access, accessibility, and transparency. 

Objectives

• Secure resources to support impact-driven activities like centers, research networks, educational innovation, and hiring.
• Expand engagement in research that advances information integrity and access.
• Equip UMSI students to be information leaders with the knowledge and skills to recognize and address challenges to information integrity and access.
• Increase partnerships and collaborations with other units, institutions, industry leaders, and governmental agencies in information integrity and access.
• Communicate the power and urgency of information integrity and access work to different stakeholders and audiences.

Build our capacity and reputation for high-impact, human-centered AI research and education

UMSI’s interdisciplinary breadth, collaborative culture, and deep faculty expertise positions us to be a hub for ethically grounded, human-centered AI research and education and to help bridge university-wide efforts in this space. Our school boasts world-class faculty trained in a range of disciplines who imagine, critique, design, build, deploy, test, evaluate, and study AI technologies. We will harness these strengths to advance innovation in AI and data science that centers human needs, interests, and values.

Objectives

• Expand engagement in research that advances world-changing human-centered AI.
• Expand interdisciplinary AI research partnerships and collaborations with other units at University of Michigan, other institutions, industry leaders, and government entities.
• Equip UMSI students with the human-centered AI skills and knowledge they need to lead in an AI-enabled world.
• Increase UMSI representation in AI initiatives, organizations and leadership positions. 

Enhance degree program excellence, relevance, and reputation

UMSI has a strong legacy of curricular innovation that adapts to evolving social and workforce needs. Our reputation for outstanding faculty and transformative learning experiences positions us well to lead among schools of information and beyond. Our hallmark agility and excellence are essential to success in an increasingly crowded and competitive market.

Objectives

• Continuously align learning outcomes and curricula with emerging career pathways and workforce demand.
• Enhance teaching excellence.
• Encourage exploration and innovation in teaching and learning.
• Maintain and strengthen a positive teaching morale and climate.
• Bolster recruitment of exceptional students. 

Ensure responsible stewardship of resources and financial solvency

Fulfilling UMSI’s mission to build a better world depends on effective management of resources. By maintaining financial discipline, optimizing use of space and facilities, and investing in faculty and staff development while considering our environmental impact, UMSI will navigate economic uncertainties, foster long-term stability, and strengthen its position as a responsible global leader in information research and education. 

Objectives

• Cultivate a strong culture of responsible resource stewardship.
• Secure sufficient financial resources to increase scholarship support.
• Optimize people’s use of technology to support and scale operations.
• Maintain sustainable growth in enrollment.
• Create rewarding work environments that encourage professional growth and help all who work at UMSI feel energized to do their best work.
• Explore alternative revenue sources.

Cultivate a positive culture that supports all UMSI community members in reaching their full potential

Creativity and collaboration are hallmarks of UMSI’s success and reputation and are best achieved when every student, postdoc, staff and faculty member feels welcome, valued, and empowered to contribute. By fostering a supportive community, UMSI reinforces its ability to attract and retain top talent and outstanding students with a broad range of experiences and backgrounds, stimulate meaningful research, and prepare its community to tackle complex, real-world challenges. This goal creates the foundational conditions for individual and collective success.

Objectives

• Promote well-being and work-life balance.
• Achieve a positive climate for all members of the UMSI community, inclusive of all identities, backgrounds, and disability status.
• Enhance professional development, leadership training, and mentorship opportunities.
• Have fun together.