Pelosi UC Berkeley to launch nonpartisan democracy institute

Representative Nancy Pelosi announced on Monday, June 29, 2026, that she will partner with the University of California, Berkeley to launch a nonpartisan academic institute dedicated to strengthening American democracy. The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy is scheduled to begin operations in January 2027, following Pelosi's retirement from Congress.

The institute will be housed within the university's Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science. Pelosi, who served nearly four decades in the House and was the first female Speaker, plans to co-teach a course on Congress beginning in the spring of 2027. The program aims to serve approximately 500 students annually through undergraduate courses, a visiting fellows program, and funded research initiatives.

In statements, Pelosi described the venture as a purposeful departure from partisan politics to create a space for open debate and study. She said the institute would be a place where Democrats and Republicans, including those aligned with former President Donald Trump, can examine the American political tradition. The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest...