After five scientists affiliated with the University of California recently won Nobel prizes, U.C. President James B. Milliken said it was a testament not just to U.C. but “the long-standing partnership between our federal government and our universities, and our country’s ability to attract the best and brightest from around the world.”

But today, he says, funding cuts are threatening this tradition and the future of innovation, which has produced breakthroughs like disease cures, cell phones, and the internet; meanwhile, irrational immigration policies will affect university efforts to attract top talent.

These pressures sharpen the need for broad consensus and collaboration reaffirming the public value of higher education. Milliken took office as the 22nd president of U.C. in August and oversees a system comprised of 10 campuses, six medical schools, three national laboratories, and more than 300,000 students. One of his central priorities is protecting U.C.’s “singular legacy” while advancing the university during a transformative moment for higher education.

Milliken, who has three decades of experience serving in leadership roles at large institutions, came to U.C. from the University of Texas System, where he served as chancellor from 2018–2025. Despite the challenges facing higher education, he remains hopeful. “Our nation’s colleges and universities are the greatest engines of social and economic mobility the world has ever seen,” he says.  

He joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs to talk about his vision for the university and his top priorities.