In March 2024, the Board of Regents approved the schematic design and authorized construction for the U-M Center for Innovation in Detroit (UMCI), a six-story building expected to open in spring 2027. UMCI joins the P-20 Partnership at The School at Marygrove, the Rackham building renovation and the U-M Detroit Center as recent examples of U-M community engagement with Detroit.

The UMCI facility will house public programs, a cafe and shared office space for the U-M Detroit Center, Admissions Office, School for Environment and Sustainability’s Sustainability Clinic and others, as well as space for multidisciplinary graduate research and shelled space that will provide flexible expansion opportunities in the future.

UMCI will be a world-class research, education and entrepreneurship center designed to advance innovation, offering a mixed-model approach that includes degree and workforce development programs. UMCI also plans to host community engagement activities for Detroit residents, ranging from K-12 programs like the Michigan Engineering Zone to the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project and many more.

“UMCI will bring together the best of the University of Michigan to catalyze economic development in the city of Detroit,” said Provost Laurie McCauley. “It will house a robust portfolio of academic programs, including new interdisciplinary graduate degrees and certificate programs aligned to the skills of the future needed to attract startups as well as major employers to the region.”