Press Releases

Combating Zika Virus through Education: New Tuition-Free Health Studies Degree Launched

Leading figures to head new program’s task force.

Pasadena, CA. May 3, 2016 – University of the People, the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university, has announced today the launch of its Associate and Bachelor degrees in Health Studies. Leading figures are heading the program’s Taskforce: Nobel Laureate and President Emeritus of The Rockefeller University, Dr. Torsten N. Wiesel; Chairman and CEO of Fortune 500® company Henry Schein, Stanley M. Bergman; Princeton University Professor Dr. Dalton Conley; and Columbia University Professor Dr. Darcy Brisbane Kelley.

UoPeople President, Shai Reshef: “We realize that in most countries, the demand for healthcare workers is huge. The critical shortage of skilled health-care workers, which manifested previously with SARS corona virus, Ebola, and now with the Zika virus, has brought alarming attention to the fact that governments are unable to effectively handle global health crises partially due to insufficient, quality programs to address the shortfall. UoPeople’s Health Studies program will prepare health workers for the workforce as well as prepare students for advanced studies within the medical field. We believe that in developed as well as developing countries, this is a priority that must be addressed. This Health Studies degree is one more step in accomplishing the university’s mission of addressing global needs as well as opening the gates to higher education for qualified students around the world and helping them overcome the financial, geographic, political, and personal constraints which preclude millions from accessing higher education.”

The launch of UoPeople’s Health Studies program follows the university’s announcement last month that it added an MBA degree to its offerings of Associates and Bachelor’s programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. The new Health Studies program will offer courses providing a broad understanding of community and public health theories and models and their application to real-world situations.

Dr. Torsten N. Wiesel, who sits on UoPeople’s President’s Council, said, “The contributions of Health Science toward the safety and wellbeing of people cannot be underestimated, and the objective of the UoPeople Health Studies program is to make high quality health care education accessible at a cost affordable to students all over the world. Creating a safe and high-quality health care environment begins with quality education.”

The university will be accepting applicants to commence their studies in September 2016. Although there are no tuition or textbook fees, there is a $100 end of course assessment fee and students can expect to pay a total of just $2,000 for an Associate’s degree, and $4,000 for a Bachelor’s degree. For those who cannot afford these modest fees, the university aims to offer a range of scholarships.

“This is exciting news both for the Health Industry as well as for potentially millions of future health care workers,” said Stanley M. Bergman of Henry Schein, the world’s largest provider of healthcare products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. “All the companies in the health industry today are dealing with a distinct shortage of health employees and yet, at the same time, the scope of jobs in this field is expanding. Demand for health workers will grow at a higher rate than the overall average for all occupations. UoPeople is paving the way to bring relevant, quality higher education to the people and places where it is needed most.”

Earlier this month, UoPeople announced its partnership with UC Berkeley, wherein UoPeople’s top Associate degree graduates will be considered for transfer admission to UC Berkeley’s Bachelor degree programs. The University of the People has over 3,000 enrolled students from 180 countries. It is expected that this number will double in the next year and coming years. The university’s ability to provide tuition-free education depends on its use of open-source technology, Open Educational Resources and the assistance of volunteers. Its President’s Council, chaired by NYU President Emeritus John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas and U.S. Former Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter, among others.

Information about application requirements can be found on the university website www.uopeople.edu

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About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. UoPeople is designed to provide access to university studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints. Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP Law School for research; New York University (NYU) and University of California, Berkeley, to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships. The University has enrolled students from 180 different countries and is supported by a network of over 4,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, Foundation Hoffmann and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

Contact: Sarah Vanunu
Director of Media Relations, University of the People

US: 626-219-8402; [email protected]

Pasadena, CA. April 4, 2016. University of the People (UoPeople) announces today a new partnership with the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley). According to the articulation agreement between the two Californian universities, UC Berkeley will consider qualified, top-performing UoPeople Associate’s degree graduates, who wish to transfer to complete a Bachelor’s degree at Berkeley.

UoPeople is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university, dedicated to opening access to higher education globally.

“We are thrilled to have this collaboration between UC Berkeley and University of the People,” said UoPeople President, Shai Reshef. “This recognition is the ultimate endorsement of the value of our degrees and it offers a great opportunity for our students. Now the most accomplished UoPeople students may be able to further pursue their dreams by attending one of the best universities in the world.”

“UC Berkeley welcomes the partnership with University of the People in considering highly qualified, top-performing UoPeople Associate’s degree graduates for transfer admission to complete a Bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley. As a fellow Californian university, UoPeople’s mission is closely aligned with the mission of Berkeley, to open the gates to a quality higher education to every deserving student – with priority given to residents of California.” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks. 

UoPeople recently made headlines for launching the first tuition-free, accredited online MBA degree, the latest addition to the university’s offerings of Associates and Bachelor’s programs in Business Administration and Computer Science, all accredited by the U.S. Distance Education and Accreditation Commission (DEAC). The university currently has over 3,000 enrolled students from 180 countries. It is expected that the fast-growing student-body will double in number over the next year.

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About University of the People:

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.edu) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources (OER), peer-to-peer learning, and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to university studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP Law School for research; New York University (NYU) and UC Berkeley to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its President’s Council, chaired by NYU President Emeritus John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, U.S. Former Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter, and Nobel Laureate Torsten N. Wiesel among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, Fondation Hoffmann and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

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Contact: Sarah Vanunu, Director of Media Relations
University of the People
US: 626-219-8402
[email protected]

Pasadena, CA. March 15, 2016 – University of the People (“UoPeople”), the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university built for underserved students around the world, has announced today that is has received accreditation for and is launching the world’s most cost effective MBA program.

The MBA program is the latest addition to UoPeople’s current offerings of Associates and Bachelor’s programs in Business Administration and Computer Science, all accredited by the Distance Education and Accreditation Commission (DEAC). Starting today the university will be accepting applicants to commence their MBA studies in September 2016. The university’s academic calendar consists of five nine-week terms and students can apply and be admitted to commence in any given term. The university will accept only 100 applicants for the first term, and gradually expand the program. Although there are no tuition or textbook fees, there is a $200 end of course assessment fee (for each of the 12 courses) and students can expect to pay a total of just $2,400 for the degree over six terms (15 months).

“University of the People has shown the world that an accredited Bachelor’s degree can be accessible, affordable and have the right quality. Now we are determined to show the same can be achieved for an MBA. We realized that for many, a Bachelor’s degree is not enough and there is great demand in the job market for candidates with an MBA,” said President Shai Reshef.  “The cost of an MBA today is so expensive, that many people who are qualified to achieve it, cannot afford it. UoPeople was set up to open the gates to higher education and to give an opportunity to those who don’t have it. Launching the world’s most cost-effective MBA was a natural progression for the university, and hopefully, it will pave the way for other universities to follow. This is a great milestone both for the university and for deserving students around the world.”

Dr. Russell S. Winer, William H. Joyce Professor of Marketing at the Stern School of Business, New York University (NYU), is UoPeople’s Dean of Business Administration and heads the new MBA program. He has personally contributed a course to the program. “I’m extremely proud to have led a stellar team to develop this groundbreaking MBA program over the past few years. It would not have been possible without the amazing work of esteemed volunteers, such as Dr. Gabriel Hawawini of INSEAD and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Stephan Chambers of Oxford Saïd Business School, and Dr. Alex Tuzhilin of NYU Stern School of Business, who have all helped envision and contribute to the world class standard of this exciting MBA.” Winer said.

UoPeople made headlines for achieving accreditation for its undergraduate degrees in 2014 and currently has over 3,000 enrolled students in Business Administration and Computer Science programs, hailing from 180 countries. According to the university, it is expected that this number will double in the next year and continue to do so in the coming years. Its ability to do so leans on its use of open-source technology, Open Educational Resources and the assistance of 4,000 volunteers coming from top universities. Its President’s Council, chaired by NYU President Emeritus John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, U.S. Former Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, and Nobel Laureate Torsten N. Wiesel among others.

Information about application requirements can be found on the university website

www.uopeople.edu

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About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources, peer-to-peer learning, and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to university studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP Law School for research; New York University (NYU) to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships. The University has enrolled students from 180 different countries and is supported by a network of over 4,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, Fondation Hoffmann and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef:

President and founder of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople, including being named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business; selected by OneWorld as one of its ‘People of 2009′; awarded an Ashoka fellowship; joined UN-GAID as a High-level Adviser; granted membership in the Clinton Global Initiative; granted an RSA Fellowship; selected by The Huffington Post as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education; nominated as one of Wired Magazine’s 50 People Changing the World; and selected as a Top Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine. Recently, he was awarded the Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy by Prince Albert II of Monaco. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. His TED Talk: “An Ultra-Low-Cost College Degree” has been viewed by over 2.5 million people. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu, Director of Media Relations
University of the People
US: 646-240-3340
[email protected]
[email protected]

Monaco, January 26, 2016 – The 2016 Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy has been awarded to Shai Reshef of University of the People (UoPeople). UoPeople is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, accredited online university, dedicated to opening access to higher education. Grounded in the belief that knowledge is a key ingredient of world peace, UoPeople uses open-source technology, Open Educational Resources and the assistance of academic volunteers to provide access to collegiate-level studies to qualified individuals from over 180 countries, regardless of geographic, financial or societal constraints.

Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople, is an educational entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. He founded the university with the conviction that higher education should be seen as a basic right, and that it has the power to both transform the lives of individuals and be an important force for societal change.

The University offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science and is currently in the process of developing new Health Science and MBA degrees. With its tuition-free online programs, UoPeople provides access to higher education for all those constrained, as well as builds a scalable and replicable model capable of changing the very nature of higher education. The university expects to reach 5,000 students in 2016 and double the number of its students every year after that. The non-profit has managed to reduce almost the entire cost of higher education and does not charge for tuition, books, or materials. Students take the courses for free but are expected to pay modest examination fees ($100) levied per course, and for those who cannot afford this minimal fee, scholarships are available.

“Mr Reshef founded the University of the People with the strong conviction that higher education creates new life opportunities to many students, families and communities,” said HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Recently, UoPeople announced it had allocated funding for the scholarships of 500 refugees, predominantly from Syria, residing all over the world. “Possessing a degree impacts not only on the personal circumstances of students, their families and communities, but it also holds significant value for the economic and social development of the countries in which they live or may live in the future,” said Shai Reshef. “Higher education needs to be a right for all and not a privilege for the few. I believe it is important that world leaders recognize that education is the most effective solution for addressing many of the world’s most pressing issues. What UoPeople sets out to show is that quality higher education can be accessible and affordable, even for the most constrained individuals around the world for whom the idea of higher education may seem far out of reach. When you educate one person, you can change a person’s life, but when you educate many, you can change the world.”

The Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy is a global initiative developed jointly by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Tocqueville Foundation in Paris, France. Its aim is to promote inspiring and innovative initiatives in the field of strategic philanthropy. The Prince’s Prize results from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco’s close involvement in the Prince’s Roundtable on Philanthropy, a closed-door discussion of leading international philanthropists which takes place every year in Monaco immediately following the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos.

Press queries to:
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
Isabelle Peters, Director of Communications, [email protected], + 377 98 98 43 27
Amélie Huré, Events Officer, [email protected], + 377 98 98 44 11

Tocqueville Foundation
Brenna Lundstrom, Director of the Prince’s Prize, [email protected], +33 6 43 54 84 18

University of the People
Sarah Vanunu, Director of Media Relations, [email protected], +1 626 219 8402

The Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy is an initiative developed by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and The Tocqueville Foundation. Its goal is to highlight projects and initiatives that have triggered innovative activity in the field of philanthropy, seeking out individuals and organizations that inspire others. The Prince’s Roundtable on Philanthropy, a closed-door forum of leading international philanthropists, takes place in Monaco every year following the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, and many of the Roundtable’s members serve on the nominating and evaluating committee for the Prince’s Prize.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, created by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2006, addresses the alarming threats hanging over our planet’s environment. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation works for the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development. The Foundation supports initiatives conducted by public and private organizations within the fields of research, technological innovation and activities to raise awareness of the social issues at stake. It funds projects in three main geographical regions: the Mediterranean Basin, the Polar Regions and the Least Developed Countries. The Foundation’s efforts focus on three main sectors: Climate change and renewable energies, biodiversity, and integrated and sustainable water management together with the fight against desertification.

The Tocqueville Foundation is an international grant-making, prize-awarding and operating foundation registered in France under the auspices of the Institut de France. Its mission and vision are deeply rooted in Alexis de Tocqueville’s social and political thought, and particularly his belief in the fundamental contribution of civil society to democratic and economic development. The Tocqueville Foundation fosters a dynamic civil society through learning, innovation and engagement. By promoting strategic philanthropy and social investing, building bridges across borders and generations, the Tocqueville Foundation promotes a well- developed and effective civil society where individuals, acting together, address common problems and build sustainable social equity for future generations.

S.A.S. LE PRINCE ALBERT II DE MONACO DÉCERNE LE PRIX DU PRINCE POUR LA PHILANTHROPIE INNOVANTE 2016 À SHAI RESHEF DE L’UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE

Monaco, le 26 janvier 2016 – Le Prix du Prince pour la Philanthropie innovante 2016 a été décerné
à Shai Reshef, président et fondateur de l’University of the People (UoPeople). UoPeople est la première université au monde à but non lucratif et sans frais de scolarité à proposer une formation en ligne dans le monde entier ; elle permet ainsi l’accès aux études supérieures dans des régions défavorisées

Après plus de 25 ans d’expérience dans le domaine de l’enseignement supérieur, Shai Reshef a fondé l’UoPeople, intimement convaincu que l’accès à l’enseignement doit être considéré comme un droit fondamental.

L’UoPeople propose différents cursus de deux ans (Associate Degree) ou quatre ans (Bachelor Degree) en gestion d’entreprise et en informatique et développe actuellement de nouveaux diplômes spécialisés dans la santé et des MBA. Ses cursus en ligne sans frais de scolarité qui donnent accès à l’enseignement supérieur à ceux qui en sont privés pourraient bien révolutionner la nature même de l’enseignement supérieur. L’université prévoit d’atteindre 5 000 étudiants en 2016 et de doubler le nombre de ses étudiants chaque année. L’université a réussi à réduire la quasi-totalité des frais de fonctionnement de l’enseignement supérieur et prend en charge les frais de scolarité, le coût des livres et le matériel. Les étudiants suivent les cours gratuitement, mais sont tenus de payer des frais d’examen modestes ($100 par cours), et des bourses sont proposées à ceux qui souhaitent bénéficier d’une aide financière.

« M. Reshef a créé University of the People avec la l’enseignement supérieur avait le formidable pouvoir d’offrir de nouvelles opportunités de vie pour de nombreux étudiants, leurs familles et leurs communautés » a indiqué S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco.

Dans le prolongement de cette politique d’ouverture de l’accès à l’enseignement, UoPeople a récemment alloué des fonds pour les bourses d’études de 500 réfugiés, principalement de Syrie, résidant en Turquie, en Iraq, en Jordanie et au Liban. « L’accès à un diplôme est déterminant, non seulement pour la situation personnelle des élèves, de leurs familles et des communautés, mais aussi pour le développement économique et social des pays dans lesquels ils vivent ou choisiront de s’installer », a déclaré Shai Reshef. « L’enseignement supérieur doit être un droit pour tous et non pas un privilège pour quelques-uns. Je crois qu’il est important que les leaders mondiaux reconnaissent que l’éducation est la solution la plus efficace pour résoudre un grand nombre des problèmes les plus urgents de la planète. UoPeople vise à montrer que l’enseignement supérieur de haute qualité peut être accessible et abordable, même pour les personnes qui vivent dans les régions les plus difficiles du globe et pour qui l’idée de l’enseignement supérieur peut sembler hors de portée. Lorsque vous éduquez une personne, vous changez la vie d’une personne, mais lorsque vous éduquez une multitude, vous changez le monde. »

Le Prix du Prince pour la Philanthropie innovante est le fruit d’un partenariat entre la Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco et la Fondation Tocqueville-Institut de France. Son but est de promouvoir des projets innovants dans le domaine de la philanthropie stratégique. Le Prix du Prince découle de la participation active de S.A.S. le Prince Albert II de Monaco à la Table ronde du Prince sur la Philanthropie, une discussion à huis clos rassemblant des philanthropes d’envergure internationale qui se déroule chaque année à Monaco, juste après la réunion annuelle du Forum économique mondial à Davos.

Contacts Presse:
Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco
Isabelle Peters, Directrice de la Communication [email protected], + 377 98 98 43 27
Amélie Huré, Chargée Evénementiel [email protected], + 377 98 98 44 11

Fondation Tocqueville
Brenna Lundstrom, Director of the Prince’s Prize [email protected], +33 6 43 54 84 18

L’UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
Sarah Vanunu, Directrice de la Communication et Relations avec les médias [email protected], +1 626 219 8402

La Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, créée par SAS le Prince Albert II de Monaco en 2006, travaille à la protection de l’environnement et à la promotion du développement durable. La Fondation apporte son soutien à des initiatives menées par des organisations publiques et privées dans les domaines de la recherche, de l’innovation technologique et des activités visant à sensibiliser le public sur les questions sociales en jeu. Elle finance des projets dans les trois principales régions géographiques : le bassin méditerranéen, les pôles et les pays en développement. Les efforts de la Fondation se concentrent sur trois domaines principaux : le changement climatique et les énergies renouvelables, la biodiversité et la gestion de l’eau combinée à une lutte contre la désertification.

La Fondation Tocqueville, abritée à l’Institut de France, attribue chaque année des subventions et des prix. Son action est profondément ancrée dans la pensée sociale et politique d’Alexis de Tocqueville, et en particulier sa foi en la contribution fondamentale de la société civile au développement démocratique et économique. La Fondation Tocqueville encourage l’évolution vers une société civile dynamique à travers l’apprentissage, l’innovation et l’engagement. En encourageant la philanthropie stratégique et l’investissement social, en dressant des passerelles entre les frontières et les générations, la Fondation Tocqueville vise à promouvoir une société civile développée et efficace dans laquelle les personnes, agissant ensemble, traitent des problèmes communs et construisent une justice sociale durable pour les générations futures.

ACCREDITED, U.S. TUITION-FREE “UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE” OPENS DOORS TO INDIAN STUDENTS

Pasadena, CA. December 22, 2015. University of the People (“UoPeople”) President Shai Reshef is eagerly preparing for his upcoming visit to India, where he will be a keynote lecturer on December 28 at Techfest, at IIT Bombay, billed as “Asia’s Largest Science & Technology Festival”.

Shai Reshef said, “I’m extremely excited to arrive again in India, a country which holds a warm place in my heart. On my previous visit, my dear late friend, President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam offered his support and endorsement to UoPeople, even suggesting volunteering to teach for us. He encouraged me to do more for India. This time round, I return to India to do just this. Now that the university has been accredited and has graduates working in great places, it makes me feel confident that it is the right time to approach India’s education-thirsty minds.”

The world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university is committed to opening the gates to higher education globally. Founded in 2009, the university offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration and computer science. The university has over 2,500 students in more than 170 countries, including India, as well as the backing of big names in higher education and plans to expand into more degree areas.

Professor Devang Khakhar, IIT Bombay Director said, “Not everyone can be fortunate enough to study at institutions like IIT Bombay. It is vital that there be high quality alternatives for higher education available. I’m proud to be a member of the President’s Council of such a forward-thinking, innovative institution as University of the People, under the Chairmanship of John Sexton, President of New York University. I am joined by many esteemed academics such as Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, Indira Gandhi National Open University Vice Chancellor Emeritus Abdul Waheed Khan, and Nobel Laureate Torsten N. Wiesel, among others. We, the academic leaders of this institution are not only showing that tuition-free online education can be done, but that it can be done with high quality, which is what India really needs.”

With the university’s mission squarely focused on accessibility, affordability and employability, UoPeople is rapidly proving to be a disruptive force in the international as well as Indian world of education technology. The university is committed to preparing students to qualify for the job market. Virtual classrooms offer qualified instructors and personalized attention as classes are capped to 20-30 students, typically representing as many different countries. To be qualified for admittance, students must have graduated high school; have a competent level of English and access to computers with internet connection.

Dr. Indu Shahani, HR College of Commerce & Economics Principal, former Sheriff of Mumbai and Member of University Grants Commission, and a longtime supporter of UoPeople, says “For the millions of qualified high school graduates who do not have the opportunity to access traditional higher education, there is now an alternative: UoPeople’s online, tuition-free, accredited American degrees can be the solution for millions of deserving young people to have a chance at a greater future.”

UoPeople is affiliated with the United Nations GAID, the Clinton Global Initiative, and Yale Law School. UoPeople has signed collaborative partnership agreements with New York University (NYU) to accept students, and has partnered with Microsoft for scholarships, internships and job opportunities, as well as with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to provide student internship opportunities. For students who cannot afford the university’s modest $100 examination fees ($4,000 for a full four-year degree), the university has a wide range of scholarships available. The university is supported by the likes of The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, and companies such as Google, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and others.

About University of the People

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints. UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP law School for research; New York University (NYU) to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships and employment opportunities and Hewlett-Packard for general support and scholarships for women. The University has enrolled students from 170 different countries and is supported by a network of over 4,000 dedicated volunteers. The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its President’s Council, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, IIT Bombay Director Devang Khakhar, Indira Gandhi National Open University Vice Chancellor Emeritus Abdul Waheed Khan, and Nobel Laureate Torsten N. Wiesel, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef

President of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople. In 2010, the Huffington Post named him the ‘Ultimate Game Changer in Education,’ and WIRED included him in its list of the 50 people who will change the world. He was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business as well as a Top Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. Shai Reshef’s TED Talk: “An Ultra-Low-Cost College Degree” has been viewed by over 2 million people. More at UoPeople.edu

“UNIVERSITY IN A BOX”: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OPENS GATES TO 500 SYRIAN REFUGEES
University of the People to offer tuition-free degrees to Syria’s lost generation

(Pasadena, CA. Sunday, September 8, 2015.) University of the People (UoPeople) has announced that it will accept 500 Syrian refugees to study tuition-free toward bachelor degrees in Business Administration or Computer Science at the university’s virtual campus.

“Looking at the intolerable situation today, it is clear that the hardships these people have experienced cannot be reversed; through education, however, their futures can be transformed,” said President Shai Reshef. The ambitious project builds on UoPeople’s previous experience with providing refugee assistance programs with UNHCR, whereby a special policy, approved by the university’s US accrediting agency, DEAC, has been established in order to admit refugees and asylum seekers in cases where official transcripts and documents cannot be obtained.

The university has established a special scholarship fund for refugees who can’t afford the university’s modest $100 examination fees ($4,000 for a full four-year degree). The first major donation has been received yet the university is seeking immediate further funding to accommodate the need.

UoPeople has been described as a “university in a box,” wherein education can be tapped into, picked up and taken with students wherever they go. In spite of their transitory circumstances, whether refugee students remain in their host countries, relocate again or return home, students can pursue coveted higher education, provided they have a qualified level of English, high school diploma and access to computers with internet.

The non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university is reaching out to the least upwardly mobile population who are most in line with the institution’s mission, to open the gates to higher education to qualified students and those most in need of education in order to overcome other barriers.

“We all care about the immediate needs of these people, such as health, shelter and food, but the only way to make a lasting difference in the future lives of the individuals, their families, communities and host countries, is through education. This is even more so if they are ever able to return to rebuild Syria.” Said Reshef.

“After three months of studying at Yarmouk University in Damascus, Syria, my life was turned upside down and my family and I were forced to flee in 2012, leaving everything I knew behind,” said Omar A., 21, a refugee student currently residing in Turkey and studying at UoPeople towards a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. “Unlike most of my countrymen, I was fortunate to find work with a nongovernmental organization, with an income to support my family, but if I want a better position or career, I have to have a degree. When I found UoPeople, I knew it would change my life. I felt like I was the very person the university was created for, with its belief in the right of education and its belief in people just like me.”

According to Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University Prof. Sir Colin Lucas, a UoPeople President’s Council member and head of its Syrian Refugees Initiative, “UoPeople was created to serve the most qualified people who don’t have access to higher education. History will not forgive us for forsaking Syria’s lost generation if we don’t do something now to stand up and save them – we’re talking about not only their future, but all our collective future as well. The key to change is education.”

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About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP law School for research; New York University (NYU) to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships and employment opportunities and Hewlett-Packard for general support and scholarships for women. The University has enrolled students from 170 different countries and is supported by a network of over 4,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its President’s Council, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University Prof. Sir Colin Lucas, former U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef:

President of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople. In 2010, the Huffington Post named him the ‘Ultimate Game Changer in Education,’ and WIRED included him in its list of the 50 people who will change the world. He was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business as well as a Top Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. Shai Reshef’s TED Talk: “An Ultra-Low-Cost College Degree” has been viewed by over 2 million people. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu
USA: 626-219-8402
[email protected]

TUITION-FREE DEGREES ONLINE – AFRICAN LEADERS TO “LEAPFROG THE SHACKLES OF CONVENTION”
Pasadena, CA. May 19, 2015 – University of the People (UoPeople.edu) President Shai Reshef is calling for African leaders to “leapfrog the shackles of convention” in his keynote address at eLearning Africa – a major education conference this week in Addis Ababa, co-organized by the African Union and co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia.

In order to ensure that African economic growth is sustained by adequately trained young people, President Reshef is urging leaders to bring higher education over the internet to meet the massive demand from its burgeoning youth population. The numbers of potential students in Africa are vastly outpacing currently available facilities, and there is a critical need for smarter online resources to empower young people and provide the engine for continuing economic growth.

University of the People presents a genuine alternative for African high school graduates who luck out of securing limited seats in local universities. “There is no need for the thousands of qualified high school graduates who will be left out of higher education this year to remain shut out,” says President Reshef. “The right to a quality education mustn’t be a matter of one’s geographical or financial situation; Access to education must be an equal and basic right for all, rather than a privilege for the few.”

University of the People believes that access to higher education is a key ingredient in the promotion of financial stability, leading to global economic development and peace. Dedicated to democratizing higher education globally, University of the People employs an online solution for purportedly millions of students who are systematically shut out of higher education worldwide. The University has enrolled students from 150 different countries to date.

University of the People is changing the way online learning is perceived through international accreditation, alliances with prestigious educational institutions, such as Yale University for research and New York University (NYU) for accepting students, and partnerships with global corporations (such as Hewlett-Packard for internships and Microsoft for scholarships, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities). The unique focus at the online University is on small classes, peer interaction and personal attention. Online access need only be basic – broadband connections and video capability are not required.

The University offers degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science on a tuition-free basis. Students only pay for exam processing fees of $100, meaning that a student can study towards an accredited Bachelor’s Degree for as little as $4000.

Africa, take heed – young adults in need of education can be serviced with the delivery of quality education at low-cost. It is the viable solution to conquering inequalities in educational attainment and is available at everyone’s fingertips.

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About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited American online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources, and the assistance of academic volunteers worldwide, UoPeople is designed to provide access to university studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009, the University has enrolled students from over 150 different countries and is supported by a network of over 3,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its Council of Presidents, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, U.S. Former Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef:

Founder and President of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople. In 2010, the Huffington Post named him the ‘Ultimate Game Changer in Education,’ and WIRED included him in its list of the ‘50 people who will change the world’. He was named one of Fast Company’s ‘100 Most Creative People in Business’ as well as a ‘Top Global Thinker’ by Foreign Policy Magazine. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. Shai Reshef’s TED Talk has reached over 1 million viewers since August 2014, making it one of the highest viewed TED Talks on Education. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu, Director of Media Relations
University of the People
US: 626-219-8402
[email protected]
www.UoPeople.edu

1,000 SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO ACCESS TUITION-FREE DEGREES ONLINE
Pasadena, CA. Jan 19, 2015 – University of the People (UoPeople.edu) President Shai Reshef has announced 1,000 places for South African students at the non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online American university for 2015. The decision comes following the news of matric results in early January pointing to an education crisis in South Africa.

South Africa’s 2014 school pass rates of final year students were recently released, indicating a discouraging drop for the first time in five years after changes to the education system. Low quality educational standards have constrained growth in Africa’s second-largest economy, with businesses struggling to employ skilled workers in a country with over a 25 percent unemployment rate. 70 percent of the jobless in South Africa are under 35. In a survey last year by the World Economic Forum, South Africa’s education system was ranked the fifth-lowest among 144 countries, with its score in mathematics and science the worst of the group.

University of the People presents a genuine alternative for South African high school graduates who luck out of securing limited seats in local universities. “There is no need for the thousands of qualified high school graduates who will be left out of higher education this year to remain shut out,” says President Reshef. “University of the People identifies South African high school graduates as students who are driven and ambitious and particularly in need and deserving of access to quality higher education. The right to a quality education mustn’t be a matter of one’s geographical or financial situation; Access to education must be an equal and basic right for all, rather than a privilege for the few.”

University of the People believes that access to higher education is a key ingredient in the promotion of financial stability, leading to global economic development and peace. Dedicated to democratizing higher education globally, University of the People exemplifies employing an online solution for potentially millions of people. The University has enrolled students from 150 different countries to date, including 44 from South Africa, where retention rates are comparatively high.

“Online education can be provided at significantly less expense than traditional education and utilizing it can mean the difference for millions of individuals to successfully attain education or remain shut out of education, as is the status quo,” says Professor Barry Dwolatzky, Director of Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) at Wits University and a 2013 recipient of the South African IT Personality of the year award. Dwolatzky, a strong proponent of digital technology and information in South Africa, sits on University of the People’s Advisory Board for Computer Science.

University of the People is changing the way online learning is perceived through international accreditation, alliances with prestigious educational institutions (such as Yale University for research and New York University for accepting students) and partnerships with global corporations (such as Hewlett-Packard for internships and Microsoft for scholarships). The unique focus at the online University is on small classes, peer interaction and personal attention. Online access need only be basic – broadband connections and video capability are not required.

The University offers degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science on a tuition-free basis. Students only pay for exam processing fees of $100, meaning that a student can study towards an accredited Bachelor’s Degree for as little as $4000.

South Africa, take heed – young adults in need of education can be serviced with the delivery of quality education at low-cost. It is the viable solution to conquering inequalities in educational attainment and is available at everyone’s fingertips.

###

About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources, peer-to-peer learning, and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to university studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP Law School for research; New York University (NYU) to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships. The University has enrolled students from 150 different countries and is supported by a network of over 3,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its Council of Presidents, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, U.S. Former Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef:

Founder and President of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople. In 2010, the Huffington Post named him the ‘Ultimate Game Changer in Education,’ and WIRED included him in its list of the ‘50 people who will change the world’. He was named one of Fast Company’s ‘100 Most Creative People in Business’ as well as a ‘Top Global Thinker’ by Foreign Policy Magazine. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. Shai Reshef’s TED Talk has reached over 1 million viewers since August 2014, making it one of the highest viewed TED Talks on Education. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu, Director of Media Relations
University of the People
US: 626-219-8402
[email protected]
www.UoPeople.edu

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OPENS GATES TO REFUGEES AROUND THE WORLD, TUITION-FREE
UoPeople, UNHCR, HIAS launch collaborative project to offer tuition-free degrees to refugees worldwide.

(Pasadena, CA. Sunday, Nov 23.) University of the People (UoPeople) President Shai Reshef in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Israel has announced the launch of a collaborative project opening the gates to tuition-free, accredited higher education for refugees and asylum seekers all over the world.
UoPeople together with UNHCR have established a special policy to admit refugees and asylum seekers, in cases where official transcripts and documents could not be obtained. The unique policy was approved by DETC, the US national educational accreditation agency of UoPeople, thereby enabling refugees to pursue higher education and earn a university degree.

UoPeople is granting scholarships to African refugees and asylum seekers as part of a special pilot made available with the collaboration of Amnesty International, HIAS and ARDC (African Refugee Development Center). The first group of students has now formally begun their first week at the Californian virtual university. President Reshef will meet with students of the first cohort of African refugees in the program at Amnesty International offices.

“UoPeople is reaching out to the least upwardly mobile population – refugees and asylum seekers – the ones most in line with our mission, to open the gates to higher education to all qualified students and those most in need of education in order to overcome other barriers,” said Reshef. “This model of collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency and HIAS can be replicated wherever there are refugees and can be scaled to serve millions of refugees around the world, providing them with access to higher education.”

According to Reshef the academic activity of the African asylum seekers who have either been accepted to the University, or who are currently in the process of enrollment, has been built upon UoPeople’s successful experience working with over 250 earthquake survivors and Internally Displaced Persons in Haiti, and will be a model for refugees world-wide who meet the University’s academic criteria and are eager to access higher education.

“The number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people worldwide, has, for the first time since post World War II, exceeded 50 million people,” said Walpurga Englbrecht, UNHCR Representative in Israel. “In order to improve the welfare of these people we commit ourselves to stepping up the efforts to collaborate with forward-thinking organizations like UoPeople. Accessing education is the key to human dignity, to advancement, and to a better future.”

UoPeople has established a special scholarship fund for refugees who can’t afford even the University’s minimal examination fees; the first donation has already been received. A total of 300 African refugees and asylum seekers began the process of applying for the special scholarship.

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About University of the People:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Using open-source technology, Open Educational Resources, peer-to-peer learning, and the assistance of academic volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints.

UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science and is currently in the process of developing a new program in Health Sciences.

Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP law School for research; New York University (NYU) to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships. The University has enrolled students from 150 different countries and is supported by a network of over 3,000 dedicated volunteers.

The institution has gained the widespread support of leading academics from leading universities around the world. Its Council of Presidents, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, Fondation Hoffmann, and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Western Union, Estee Lauder and many more.

About UoPeople President Shai Reshef:

Founder and President of University of the People, Shai Reshef is an educational entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in the international education market. President Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople. In 2010, the Huffington Post named him the ‘Ultimate Game Changer in Education,’ and WIRED included him in its list of the 50 people who will change the world. He was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business as well as a Top Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine. Before founding University of the People, Reshef directed KIT e-learning, the first online university in Europe. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu
USA: 626-219-8402
[email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE RECEIVES $500,000 IN FUNDING FROM FONDATION HOFFMANN; LAUNCHES DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAM
October 30, 2014
(PASADENA, CA.) University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, accredited, online university, has received half a million USD in funding from Fondation Hoffmann. The bulk of the funding enables the University to launch development of a new health sciences program, while some of the money is allocated to student scholarships.

With thanks to Swiss philanthropist Andre Hoffmann’s contribution through Fondation Hoffmann, and in addition to funding from pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, UoPeople is charging forward with the bold academic program. A degree in health sciences is in great demand in numerous developing countries. The academic quality of the new program, as with UoPeople’s other offerings, is to be rigorous as well as acutely suited to the challenges of today.

Andre Hoffmann, affirmed his commitment to global education, saying, “My family and I have always found it of the utmost importance to help individuals expand their potential and work toward healthy and economic stability for themselves and their community. Now more than ever we need high quality health science education. We are proud to support UoPeople with their initiative.”

UoPeople, now in its fifth year of operations and fully accredited, presently offers Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Computer Sciences, the two programs that are most in demand worldwide, and likeliest to lead UoPeople students – most of whom come from developing countries – to secure employment.

“UoPeople is demonstrating that quality higher education opportunities can be made available to people all over the world, and tuition-free,” says UoPeople president and educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, who applauds the Hoffmann grant, which will be effective over the next two years. While tuition at UoPeople is free, there is a modest examination fee. The scholarship will enable motivated students from around the world, who cannot afford even the minimal fees, the opportunity to earn an accredited, academic degree from an American university. Reshef added, “With our mission to democratize education at the forefront for the millions of individuals currently constrained, I am extremely proud of the work we are doing and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

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About The Hoffmann Foundation:

The Hoffmann Foundation is a Swiss based grant making institution created in 2000 by André and Rosalie Hoffmann to support projects in Switzerland and abroad concerning sustainable development, international governance, education and culture. Its mission is to support the emergence and expansion of concrete projects which address global problems in today’s societies. André Hoffmann, an entrepreneur, private investor and a committed philanthropist, is an MBA graduate of INSEAD, where he now serves on the board – as well as on the boards of several other charities and companies.

About University of the People:

Amalgamating open-source technology, Open Educational Resources, peer-to-peer learning, and the assistance of volunteers, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints. UoPeople has enrolled over 2000 students from 148 different countries and is supported by a network of over 3,000 dedicated volunteers from the best universities. UoPeople Founder and President Shai Reshef was recently named one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine. More at www.uopeople.edu

Contact: Sarah Vanunu
[email protected]
(626) 219-8402

KRUGER FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR BURMESE STUDENTS
Krüger Foundation to Support Scholarship Program for Burmese Students

Lausanne/Switzerland, 3 July 2014 – The Krüger Foundation announced a USD 40,000 grant to enable the University of the People (UoPeople) to establish a scholarship program for Burmese students. The grant provides full scholarships for ten promising students in Myanmar to study at a leading US-based online university. The Krüger Myanmar Scholarship Program will cover the costs of a four-year Bachelor’s program in either Business Administration or Computer Science. The purpose is to help meet the demand for opportunities for motivated Burmese students as well as for higher skills in the local economy.

Ten Burmese students will be provided with the opportunity to access education, and to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in the program of their choice, beginning in September 2014. Interested applicants may apply for scholarship support upon admission to the University of the People and before they commence their classes.

“Our support for University of the People is meant to leverage the power of online learning by establishing a dedicated scholarship program for improving access to education in Myanmar,” said Mr. Christian Krüger, impact investor and founder of the Krüger Foundation. “The hope is that some of these students will also be inspired and adequately educated to further assist with the redevelopment and economic prosperity of their communities,“ said Krüger at the Impact Economy Symposium and Retreat on June 14, 2014.

Myanmar was one of the four focus countries at this year`s Impact Economy Symposium & Retreat, which took place from June 13-15 in Switzerland, hosted by Krüger + Co. Dr Maximilian Martin, the organizer of the event and Founder and Global Managing Director of Impact Economy, identified the EMICs including Myanmar as countries with exceptional potential for inclusive growth and modernization. The EMICs include Ethiopia, Iran, and Colombia in addition to Myanmar, and represent a group of high-stakes catalytic countries.

“In one of our sessions at the Symposium that was dedicated to Myanmar, the importance of education and access to it for all members of society was again emphasized as a key to success in sustainable modernization. Impact Economy is delighted to see the Krüger Foundation addressing this need,” said Dr Martin.

At a time when Myanmar’s enthusiasm to catch up with its neighbours is at an all-time high, the country nevertheless needs to overcome a number of constraints that are standing in the way of a sustainable middle-income future. Building more domestic human capital will help lay the needed foundation in Myanmar. College and university students everywhere are increasingly finding themselves with additional obligations beyond just studying for a degree, including financial independence and family commitments.

UoPeople is an accredited degree-granting online university that provides tertiary education courses for students in 143 countries. As the entire world transitions to an information society, online (or e-learning) technologies using modern communications, computers, digital technology, and the internet are increasingly providing a scalable and cost-effective way to make the benefits of education accessible to all.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Krüger Foundation in order to sponsor a group of Burmese students towards their Bachelor’s degrees at University of the People,” said Shai Reshef, Founder and President of UoPeople. “We hope that others will follow the example set by the Krüger Foundation and join us in our mission to democratize higher education across the globe,” said Reshef.

In making this grant, the Krüger Foundation expands its longstanding effort to provide access to opportunity for youth in Asia, a footprint that will now include Myanmar.

The Krüger Foundation is a Swiss charitable foundation exclusively pursuing benevolent purposes. The foundation finances specific projects with the goal of improving social welfare, and is active in a range of social and environmental issues. The Foundation actively seeks projects through a variety of channels but does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

The University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally for all qualified individuals; regardless of financial, geographic or societal constraints.

Impact Economy is a global impact investing and strategy firm headquartered in Switzerland, with overseas operations in North and South America. Our teams on three continents provide strategy advisory, investment services and corresponding research to companies and professional investors.

For more information, please contact:
University of the People
Phone: +1 (626) 264-8880
University of the People Office of Admissions 225 S. Lake Ave., Suite 300 Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

UOPEOPLE OPENING GATES TO HIGHER EDUCATION AT WEF AFRICA

A tuition-free, online model for tertiary education can solve the vast shortage of University seats, impacting millions of people in Africa and around the world. This is the view of University of the People President Shai Reshef, who will be speaking at the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja, Nigeria today, May 8, 2014.

President Reshef will also discuss two collaborative models during this trip to Abuja, which are a clear example of how many qualified students can benefit across Africa and around the world.

The first is a private sector partnership. After several months in a pilot phase, the University has embarked on a drive to rapidly increase its footprint and reach for African students. In support of this, Microsoft joined UoPeople in offering of 1000 UoPeople scholarships for African youth. Scholarship recipients are also eligible for professional training from Microsoft, mentorship by Microsoft employees, internships, and job opportunities with Microsoft and their affiliates in Africa, upon graduation. UoPeople sees this collaboration as an extraordinary opportunity to both empower potential African students and encourage other international corporations to follow suit.

The second is a public sector agreement. The Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria has entered a partnership with University of the People in a milestone agreement which will support students towards achieving Bachelor Degrees in Computer Science or Business Administration. This USD$1M collaboration will be carried out through the establishment of a dedicated center for students to access computers and the Internet in Bayelsa. The programme will assist deserving youth who have completed high school in Bayelsa, are proficient in English and have been screened for suitable university education.

“These collaborations and others like them could potentially make higher education accessible to millions of Africans across the continent. I hope that the future success of these monumental partnerships will encourage other companies and governments to join forces with UoPeople and eliminate the barriers to higher education” says President Reshef.

UoPeople’s goal is simple – to democratize higher education, by opening the gates to all qualifies candidates, regardless of financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints. These two collaborations are perfect examples of how this goal can be achieved- through corporate and government collaborations. This is the path for bridging the gap between the existing seats in local universities and the demand for seats by qualified students. Partnering with local governments and international corporations is the way to achieve this goal, and UoPeople hopes that these exciting agreements with Microsoft and the Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria are only the beginning.

About University of the People

University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.edu) is a non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal, or personal constraints. The institution offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale ISP law School for research; New York University to accept students; Microsoft for scholarships, access to its certificate programs, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships. To date, more than 1700 students from over 143 countries have been admitted.

The organization has gained the widespread support of leading academics. Its Presidents Council, chaired by New York University President John Sexton, includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, Rector Emeritus of the Academy of Paris, Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Western Union and Estee Lauder and many more. UoPeople has received the support of over 1.2 million people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

For more information, prospective students and donors can visit www.uopeople.edu

About Shai Reshef:

Shai Reshef is the President of University of the People, the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online university. Reshef has 20 years of experience in the international education market. He appeared on Fast Company magazine’s list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, Wired magazine’s list of 50 People Changing the World, and was selected as a Top Global Thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE RECEIVES OFFICIAL ACCREDITATION FROM DETC
February 14 ,2014
Accreditation validates continued emergence of innovative, low-cost approaches to high-quality education on a global scale

PASADENA, Calif. – 14 February 2014 – University of the People (UoPeople) today announced its official accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), marking a major milestone for the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, online academic institution and representing a significant breakthrough for alternative education models and innovative learning environments. Dedicated to the democratization of higher education, the university believes accreditation not only will help increase its capacity to serve more students, but inspire other institutions to offer greater global access to low-cost, high-quality education.

“Accreditation is critical to UoPeople’s mission, attesting to the quality of education for our prospective students and their prospective employers,” said Shai Reshef, founder & president, UoPeople. “We have pursued this stamp of approval since day one, and are confident it will help pave the way for greater adoption of alternative models in education across the globe.”

UoPeople currently has 700 students enrolled, but now that it has received accreditation from the DETC, a national accrediting group, Mr. Reshef expects the university to expand significantly. He’s anticipating it will grow to have 5,000 students by 2016.

“With the development of technology, we now can provide a quality higher education to able students in the United States and around the globe who, until now, did not have available to them the possibility of a college or university degree,” said John Sexton, NYU President and the Chairman of UoPeople’s President’s Council. “It’s thrilling to think that with this accreditation, more students, employers and leaders will begin to recognize the worth of a UoPeople degree.”

About University of the People
Founded in 2009, UoPeople enables students otherwise excluded from higher education due to financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints to attain an accredited business administration or computer science degree through an extremely low cost (tuition-free) and highly scalable model. Utilizing peer-to-peer learning, a robust volunteer base and nominal admission and examination fees, the non-profit organization has enrolled approximately 700 students to date, expecting to increase its student body to 5,000 by 2016. For more information, prospective students and donors can visit http://www.uopeople.org.

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For further information, please contact:
Joel Staley
Edelman for University of the People
[email protected]
+01 (407) 377-6645

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE OFFERS HOPE FOR REJECTED SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
January 7 ,2014
South Africa, 7 January 2014 – As the 2013 National Senior Certificate examination results have been released, many are discovering that they may not be able to attend University in South Africa in 2014. University of the People provides thousands of disappointed South African High School graduates with newfound hope, enabling qualified individuals lacking the necessary admission points scores or financial means to obtain a quality higher education, tuition-free.

University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is a non-profit, tuition-free, degree granting online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. It is designed to provide access to University studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal, or personal constraints.

Last year, the University announced a drive to increase its footprint and reach for African students. In support of this, Microsoft recently announced its offering of 1000 UoPeople scholarships for African students. This opens the doors to higher education for many South African students. Shai Reshef, President and founder of the University, recently visited South Africa in order to unveil the groundbreaking program, as well as search for additional partners in order to create further scholarship opportunities for South African students. President Reshef is scheduled to visit South Africa again in March to advance his search. University of the People aims to ensure that qualified students who have been turned away from brick-and-mortar universities in South Africa will be able to acquire a high quality tertiary education.

“We all know that many would-be students turned away from Universities are not rejected due to their qualification, but rather due to lack of available seats in Universities. We cannot allow such limitations to bar individuals from access to quality higher education. In this day and age, thanks to the rapid flow of information enabled by the internet, quality education can and must be the right for all, not a privilege for a few”, says President Reshef.

Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with several prestigious supporters such as Yale University for research and the New York University to accept students. In addition, the University works with Microsoft for scholarships and access to its certificate programmes, mentoring, internships and employment opportunities; and Hewlett-Packard, for general support, scholarships for women and internships.

The organization has gained widespread support of leading academics with its President’s Council chaired by New York University President John Sexton and includes Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, Rector Emeritus of the Academy of Paris, Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation and companies such as HP, Google, Microsoft, Western Union and Estee Lauder and many more. UoPeople has received the support of almost 1.2 million people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT TO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 1,000 STUDENTS IN AFRICA
August 12 ,2013
Part of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative program, will offer university-level education, mentorship, training and employment opportunities to aspiring African youth.

CALIFORNIA, United States – August 12, 2013 – In recognition of International Youth Day, University of the People today announced a collaboration with Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative, through which 1,000 promising African students will receive scholarships to University of the People (UoPeople). These scholarships, a part of Microsoft’s 4Afrika Scholarship program, will provide university-level education, mentorship, training and employment opportunities for aspiring African youth.

Microsoft selected UoPeople, the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, degree-granting online institution to be a higher education partner institution in the scholarship program. At UoPeople, the 4Afrika Scholarships will be provided to 1,000 youth to pursue associate degrees in computer science and business administration. To help redress gender disparity in higher education in Africa, UoPeople and Microsoft are actively encouraging women to apply.

The students will receive more than just tuition-free higher education. Those accepted to the program, will also benefit from mentorship by Microsoft employees from around the world and, will receive, while studying with UoPeople, leadership and technical training by Microsoft. Not only that, the graduates of the program, will be eligible for employment opportunities within Microsoft and its’ over 10,000 partners across Africa.

“University of the People’s mission is to open the gates to higher education for everyone, believing that higher education is a basic human right. Through the 4Afrika Scholarship program, Microsoft is helping us extend that possibility in Africa even farther” said Shai Reshef, president, University of the People. “We are proud to be working with Microsoft to achieve our mutual mission and to help create amazing opportunities and open new doors for Africa’s youth. The collaboration with Microsoft attests to the company’s belief in our mission and recognition of the potential of our successful tuition-free online education model.”

“Together with participating education institutions, Microsoft’s goal with the 4Afrika Scholarship program is to level the playing field for talented young African minds who might not otherwise have the resources, enabling them to get the education and skills they need to thrive in technology-related fields,” said Patrick Onwumere, director of youth enablement, Microsoft 4Afrika. “The 4Afrika Initiative was designed to help ensure that Africa can become globally competitive, and investing in our highly motivated youth with strong collaborators like UoPeople is a critical step toward making that a reality.”

Applications for 4Afrika Scholarships to University of the People can be submitted on the following site: www.uopeople.org/4afrika. The first 4Afrika Scholarship students will begin classes in November 2013. Further information about the 4Afrika Scholarship program is available at www.youth4afrika.com and www.uopeople.org/4afrika.

About UoPeople:
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, degree-granting online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic, societal, or personal constraints. The institution offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University Law School ISP for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard, for internships, mentorship and general support. To date, more than 1500 students from over 137 countries have been admitted.

The organization has gained the widespread support of leading academics including Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, New York University President John Sexton (Chairman of the UoPeople Presidents Council), George Washington President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, among others. UoPeople has received the support of 1.2 million people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

For further information on University of the People, please go to www.UoPeople.org.

UoPeople Contact: Tali Gourarie, [email protected]e.org

MICROSOFT INTRODUCES THE 4AFRIKA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
August 12 ,2013
Part of the 4Afrika Initiative, program will offer mentorship, training, university-level education and employment opportunities to aspiring African youth

LAGOS, Nigeria – August 12, 2013 – In recognition of International Youth Day, Microsoft Corp. today introduced the 4Afrika Scholarship program, as part of its 4Afrika Initiative, through which it will provide mentorship, leadership and technical training, certification, university-level education and employment opportunities for promising African students. Mentorship will be provided by Microsoft employees from around the world, and employment opportunities will include internships and both part-time and full-time jobs within Microsoft as well as with the company’s more than 10,000 partners across Africa.

Through the company’s 4Afrika Initiative and YouthSpark program, Microsoft has committed to helping millions of Africans get critical skills for entrepreneurship and employability. The 4Afrika Scholarship program is one way the company intends to meet that goal, by helping ensure that promising youth have access to the education, resources and skills they need to succeed, regardless of their financial situation. To help redress gender disparity in higher education in Africa, the company is actively encouraging young women to apply.

Microsoft also announced that in the coming year, it will provide 4Afrika Scholarships to 1,000 youth to pursue associate degrees in computer science and business administration with the first participating higher education institution, University of the People, an American online university dedicated to the democratization of higher education which is affiliated with the United Nations, the Clinton Global Initiative, NYU and Yale Law School ISP.

“Together with participating education institutions, Microsoft’s goal with the 4Afrika Scholarship program is to level the playing field for talented young African minds who might not otherwise have the resources, enabling them to get the education and skills they need to thrive in technology-related fields,” said Patrick Onwumere, director of youth enablement, Microsoft 4Afrika. “The 4Afrika Initiative was designed to help ensure that Africa can become globally competitive, and investing in our highly motivated youth is a critical step toward making that a reality.”

Students wishing to apply for these first 4Afrika Scholarships to attend University of the People must be at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma and proficient English, as all its coursework is English-language. They must also have access to the Internet to be able to participate in the online classes. To help address the connectivity issue, the company is making available working space in its Microsoft Innovation Centers in Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana for successful applicants near those locations. In addition, Microsoft is working with various partner hubs across Africa to make similar arrangements for students in other locations.

“University of the People works hard to ensure that university-level education is a possibility for the masses, and through the 4Afrika Scholarship program, Microsoft is helping us extend that possibility even farther in Africa,” said Shai Reshef, president, University of the People. “We are proud to be working with Microsoft to help create amazing opportunities and open new doors for Africa’s youth.”

Applications for 4Afrika Scholarships to University of the People can be submitted on the following site: www.uopeople.org/4afrika. The first 4Afrika Scholarship students will begin classes in November 2013. Further information about the 4Afrika Scholarship program is available at http://www.youth4afrika.com.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

For more information, press only:
Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, (503) 443-7070,
[email protected]

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed athttp://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

ADDITIONAL TOP ACADEMIC LEADERS TO JOIN UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
August 7 ,2013
Additional Top Academic Leaders to Join University of the People

Pasadena, CA. August 6th, 2013 – University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, degree-granting online university, unveiled today an additional member to its Board of Trustees, Professor Gabriel Hawawini (INSEAD & Wharton), and two additional members to its Presidents Council: Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks (UC Berkeley) and President Robert R. Jennings (Lincoln University).

Dr. Gabriel Hawawini is the Henry Grunfeld Chaired Professor of Investment Banking and former dean of INSEAD (2000-2006), one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools. He is currently Visiting Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Hawawini is also a member of the UoPeople Business Administration Advisory Board. Dr. Gabriel Hawawini joins the other members of the Board of Trustees: Mr. Ashok Chandrasekhar, JD (Chair), Ms. Anousheh Ansari, Hon. Justice Christine Durham, Mr. David Gelber, Professor Daniel J.H. Greenwood and Mr. Shai Reshef.

Nicholas B. Dirks serves as the Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. Dirks is an internationally respected leader in higher education, well-known for his commitment to and advocacy for accessible, high-quality undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences. Dr. Robert R. Jennings is the President of Lincoln University and former President of Alabama A&M University. Jennings brings with him many years of experience in strategic planning, operational and financial management, program and policy development, fundraising, research (grants/contracts) development/management, and student affairs. Chancellor Dirks and President Jennings join the other members of the Presidents’ Council: President John Sexton (Chair), Rector Emeritus Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, Professor Devang Khakhar, Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, President Emeritus Dr. Roger Mandle, President Emeritus Judith R. Shapiro, and President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg.

Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople, said, “We are proud to welcome to our leadership additional distinguished scholars who support our mission. The worldwide support of leading academics increases our capability to accomplish our mission.”

About University of the People:
University of the People offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University Law School ISP for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard, as part of their Catalyst Initiative, for internships. To date, more than 1500 students from 137 countries have been admitted.

The organization has gained the widespread support of leading academics. UoPeople is supported by The Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation and companies such as HP, Google, Western Union and Estee Lauder and many more. UoPeople has received the support of almost 1.2 million people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

For further information on University of the People and full biographies of its leadership, please go to www.UoPeople.org.

UoPeople Contact: [email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE ANNOUNCED AS 2013 ISIC AWARD WINNER
May 22 ,2013
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, 22 May, 2013 – The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) Association and MasterCard Worldwide are thrilled to announce that the University of People (UoPeople) has been selected as the winner of the 2013 ISIC Award.

“UoPeople are the deserved winner of the 2013 ISIC Award for their innovative approach to education access. With its reputable tuition-free online programmes, the University is ultimately changing the nature of higher education and harnessing the use of available technologies to best serve aspiring students in over 135 countries”, explained Martijn van de Veen, ISIC Association Secretary General.

Mr van de Veen emphasised “UoPeople is opening the doors to higher education and learning to prospective undergraduate students in all corners of the globe by offering its programmes through distance and peer-to-peer learning – and most importantly – making this opportunity available to students at virtually no cost.”

As recipients of the 2013 ISIC Award UoPeople will receive a €20,000 (US$26,500) financial contribution to support the extension of their exceptional work to provide universal access to quality, online post-secondary education.

“Around the world many people aspire to participate in higher education but not everyone has the opportunity easily available to them. All individuals have the right to education at as minimal cost as possible, but in too many countries social, economic and even physical constraints make accessing a quality education difficult or even impossible”, says Mr van de Veen.

Mr van de Veen emphasised that “Both the ISIC Association and MasterCard, the principle sponsor of the ISIC Award, recognise that supporting both existing students and those individuals who aspire to participate in higher education are of equal importance in the context of achieving ‘education for all’. By supporting the established international efforts of others, we can help ensure a greater number of people have the access and resources to enable them to not only participate, but excel in higher education.”

Carlos Menendez, Group Executive, Global Consumer Products, and responsible for the MasterCard Youth Programme internationally, expressed “For MasterCard it is critical to support education programmes that teach financial literacy to students. MasterCard is proud to sponsor the ISIC Award that recognises the work of organisations like UoPeople and their adaptation of technology to better empower students internationally.”

UoPeople was selected as the 2013 ISIC Award winner from 3 highly commendable finalists including the Institute of International Education and the European Access Network. Established in 2011, nominations and votes for the ISIC Award are submitted annually by the ISIC Association’s global partners and ISIC card issuers worldwide, defining the Award as major recognition from key decision makers involved in the student market internationally.

UoPeople was announced as the 2013 ISIC Award winner at a special gala ceremony on Wednesday evening marking the 60th Anniversary of the ISIC card, as part of the 2013 ISIC Event in Copenhagen, Denmark, the birthplace of the ISIC card in 1953. The ISIC Event provides a stage for local ISIC issuers, business leaders, endorsement partners and student organisations to discuss and highlight initiatives and opportunities in the student market internationally.

GLOBAL LEADERS IN EDUCATION, MEDIA, AND BUSINESS JOIN LEADERSHIP OF UOPEOPLE
January 29 ,2013

PASADENA, CA, January 29th, 2013 – University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first and only tuition-free online university, unveiled today an impressive Board of Trustees, along with additions to their President’s Council and Business and Computer Science Advisory Boards. Representative of University of the People’s global nature, members of this prestigious group hail from all over the world and from a variety of disciplines.

Shai Reshef, president of UoPeople, said, “Our world-class leadership join us proudly in the pursuit of the democratization of higher education, signifying the increasingly widespread belief that everyone has a right to a world-class education” He added, “When you look at the university leadership included in our ranks, you can see an acceptance within the mainstream education community that there is a need to open the gates of higher education to everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.”

Board of Trustees

Mr. Ashok Chandrasekhar, JD, (Chair), is a partner in the Corporate and Securities Department of Goldfarb Seligman & Co. law offices and a member of the firm’s executive committee.

*Ms. Anousheh Ansari is the first female private space explorer and the first space ambassador. She earned a place in history as the fourth private explorer to visit space and the first astronaut of Iranian descent.

*Hon. Justice Christine Durham has been on the Utah Supreme Court since 1982, and served as chief justice and chair of the Utah Judicial Council from 2002 to 2012. Hon. Justice Durham is the past-chair of the American Bar Association’s Council on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

*Mr. David Gelber is the managing director of Roaring Fork Films and long-time producer of CBS news show “60 Minutes.” He is also on the Board of Trustees of Swarthmore College.

Professor Daniel J.H. Greenwood is a professor at Hofstra University’s School of Law. Previously, he was S.J. Quinney Professor of Law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College Of Law.

Mr. Shai Reshef is founder and president of UoPeople, formerly serving as Chairman of the Kidum Group, a for-profit educational services company. He also chaired KIT eLearning, the online learning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the United States.

President’s Council

Professor Devang Khakhar is the director of the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT) Bombay.
Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas was the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford until 2004; upon retirement he has served as the warden of Rhodes Trust.

*President Emeritus Dr. Roger Mandle, is president emeritus of the Rhode Island School of Design and senior advisor to the chair of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums Authority.

Rector Emeritus Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux formerly served as rector of the Academy of Paris, Chancellor of the Universities, and rector of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).

*President Emeritus Judith R. Shapiro is president and professor of Anthropology Emeritus as Barnard College, as well as professor of Anthropology Emeritus at Bryn Mawr College.

President John Sexton is the fifteenth president of New York University, as well as the Benjamin Butler Professor of Law and NYU Law School’s Dean Emeritus.

President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg is president emeritus and University Professor of Public Service at The George Washington University.

Computer Science Advisory Board

Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin is the dean of the Department of Computer Science at University of the People and Professor of Information Systems at the Stern School of Business, New York University.

Dr. Vijay Atluri is a professor of Computer Information Systems in the MSIS Department and Research Director for the Center for Information Management, Integration and Connectivity at Rutgers University.

*Dr. Shay David is the co-founder of Kaltura and founding member of the Open Video Alliance.
Professor HV Jagadish is the Bernard A Galler Collegiate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan and a senior scientific director of the National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics.

Dr. Mihai Nadin was one of the first proponents of integrating computers into the US education system. He is an endowed professor at the University of Texas, Dallas, and is the founder and director of anté, Institute for Research in Anticipatory Systems.

Professor Vincent Oria received a diplôme d’ingenieur from the Institut National Polytechnique (formerly INSET) in the Ivory Coast, and aPh.D. in computer science from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications (ENST), Paris.

Dr. Avi Silberschatz is the Sidney J. Weinberg Professor of Computer Science and the Chair of the Computer Science Department at Yale University.

*Ms. Gabriele Zedlmayer is the vice president for the Office of Social Innovation at Hewlett-Packard.

Business Administration Advisory Board

Dr. Russell S. Winer-Dean is the William Joyce Professor and chair of the Department of Marketing at the Stern School of Business, New York University.

*Mr. Stephan Chambers is Chairman of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Director of the MBA at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School.

Professor Dr. Kriengsak Charoenwongsak is a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School; an elected member of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association Board of Directors; and a fellow at Said Business School, University of Oxford.

*Mr. John Gerzema is executive chairman of BAV Consulting and an internationally renowned social theorist on consumerism.

Dr. Gabriel Hawawini is the Henry Grunfeld Chaired Professor of Investment Banking and former Dean of INSEAD. He is currently Visiting Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Indu Shahani, the Honorable Sheriff of Mumbai, is the principal of H.R. College of Commerce and Economics.

*Dr. Albert Wenger is a general partner at Union Square Ventures, having previously co-founded five companies.

*New additions to the Board

University of the People

Millions of people are constrained from accessing higher education today. UNESCO projections estimate that with the growth of youth populations worldwide, by the year 2025 an estimated 98 million youth will be pining for seats in universities that do not exist. There is a way to reach those in need. University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education globally. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and open educational resources as well as a reliance on volunteers; UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints.

UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science. Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard, as part of their Catalyst Initiative, for internships. To date, more than 1500 students from 135 countries have been admitted. The organization has gained the widespread support of leading academics including Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, New York University President John Sexton, and George Washington President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, among others. UoPeople has received the support of over 1,000,000 people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

For further information on University of the People and full biographies of its leadership, please go to www.UoPeople.org.

Contact:

Elissa Strauss
ChangeCommunications
[email protected]
310-909-9250

UOPEOPLE PRESIDENT SELECTED AS TOP GLOBAL THINKER
November 26 ,2012
NEW YORK: Shai Reshef, founder and president of the tuition-free University of the People, has been honored as one of Foreign Policy magazine’s distinguished Top 100 Global Thinkers. This list includes Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Malala Yousafzai, Condoleezza Rice, Marissa Mayer and more.

The magazine’s prestigious list is comprised of individuals who have made exemplary contributions to global dialogue and have inspired the world. It is indeed fitting to see Shai Reshef on the list for his work with University of the People, where he and his team have dramatically cut down the cost of higher education and provided an alternative for those who have no other alternative.

Foreign Policy has been quoted as saying, “If online education has a chance to change the developing world, University of the People is where it will have started.”

The full list of the Top 100 Global Thinkers is featured in the December issue of Foreign Policy and showcased online. Honorees are invited to the awards ceremony on Thursday, November 29 in Washington D.C. where U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on the list as well, will be among the guest speakers.

Shai Reshef

Shai Reshef is the president of University of the People (UoPeople)—the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit online academic institution dedicated to opening access to higher education for all individuals otherwise constrained access. An educational entrepreneur, Reshef has 20 years of experience in the international education market. From 1989 to 2005, he served as Chairman of the Kidum Group, a for-profit educational services company. Between 2001 and 2004, Reshef also chaired KIT eLearning, the online learning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the United States.

An expert on the intersection of education and technology, Reshef has spoken internationally at numerous conferences including the DLD: Digital, Life, Design; TedxOxbridge; TedxKC; World Economic Forum; EG Conference, Google’s Higher Education Summit; EMV Human Values meeting; The Economist’s Annual Human Potential Summit and the Schools for Tomorrow Event for the New York Times. He has also lectured at Yale University, Harvard University, Stanford University and Oxford University, among others. Reshef holds a M.A. in Chinese Politics from the University of Michigan.

Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople including in 2009, when he was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business. Reshef was selected by The Huffington Post readership as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education in 2010. In February 2012, he was nominated as one of Wired Magazine’s “50 People Changing the World.”

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University of the People

University of the People (UoPeople) is the world’s only tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution designed to provide access to college studies for qualified high school graduates, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and open educational resources as well as a reliance on volunteers, UoPeople is scaling down the cost of higher education. UoPeople offers Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science.

Founded in 2009, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard, as part of their Catalyst Initiative, for internships. To date, more than 1500 students from over 130 countries have been admitted.

The organization has gained the widespread support of leading academics including Oxford Vice-Chancellor Sir Colin Lucas, New York University President John Sexton, and George Washington President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, among others. UoPeople has received the support of over 1,000,000 people on Facebook and garnered media coverage throughout the world.

Read more at:

www.foreignpolicy.com
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/11/26/the_fp_100_global_thinkers?page=0,29#thinker36
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/11/26/rise_of_the_moocs
www.uopeople.com

Watch Reshef’s TEDx talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0PJbPlZoNI&feature=youtu.be

Contact:

ChangeCommunications
Jo-Ann Mort
[email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE ENTERS 4TH YEAR AND FORTIFIES FINANCIAL MODEL
September 7 ,2012
PASADENA, California, September 06, 2012 – University of the People (UoPeople) is now entering its fourth year as the first tuition-free online university dedicated to opening access to higher education worldwide. Over the past 3 years, UoPeople has accepted 1500 students around the globe, while further developing its financial model to make the university available to students for generations to come. With this model, the university is positioning itself to be a fully sustainable tuition-free university serving 5000 students a year by 2015.

Among the initiatives taken by UoPeople to ensure financial sustainability is introducing a fee structure so that students are responsible for the costs of processing exams. While the tuition remains free and no student is turned away for lack of funds, these new nominal fees will help sustain the school’s long-term economic health.

Should any student be unable to pay all or some of these fees, the university has developed a number of innovative scholarship models. UoPeople has arranged scholarships with corporate partners and also created a micro-scholarship portal, the first of its kind at any university, to connect individual donors directly to students in need.

UoPeople’s corporate scholarships include partnerships with companies like Intel and Hewlett-Packard. Hewlett-Packard established a dedicated fund to support women students seeking associate degrees, complete with a mentoring process by HP employees for students. The university also created a general scholarship fund, with funding from private donors and family foundations.

UoPeople is positioning itself to raise $5 million dollars by 2015 in order to have the $9 million total it needs to be fully sustainable. The university has already raised $4 million with financial support coming from its founder and President Shai Reshef, as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and others.

Because of its innovative use of peer-to-peer learning, open source technology and volunteer academics, the university is able to offer associate and bachelor degrees tuition-free while still offering a quality education.

Over the past 3 years the UoPeople has also developed a President’s Council, comprised of leadership from top-tier universities around the world whose expertise contribute greatly to the school’s growth and sustainability. Among its members are New York University President John Sexton; Sir Colin Lucas, who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1997 to 2004; and Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, Rector emeritus of the Academy of Paris, Chancellor of the Universities, and Rector of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) which associates more than 700 Universities around the world. The President’s Council advises UoPeople on matters like academic quality, scholarship funds and more.

With a background as an educational entrepreneur and 20 years of experience in the international education market, UoPeople founder and President Shai Reshef is well suited to position the university for long-term financial sustainability. From 1989 to 2005, he served as chairman of the Kidum Group, a for-profit educational services company. Between 2001 and 2004, Reshef also chaired KIT eLearning, the online learning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the United States.

“From my own experience as a business entrepreneur, I saw the difference that access to education can make in a person’s life and I vowed to commit myself to creating a sustainable model for providing education to students anywhere in the world,” said Reshef.

As a result of his work with UoPeople, this year, Reshef was named one of Wired Magazine’s “50 People Changing the World.” The Huffington Post elected him as the “Ultimate Game Changer in Education” in 2010. In 2009, he was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, selected by OneWorld as one of its ‘People of 2009’ and awarded an Ashoka fellowship.

For more information about University of the People, visit: http://www.uopeople.org

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE ANNOUNCES WOMEN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
July 11 ,2012
MUNICH, Germany, July 11, 2012 –UoPeople President Shai Reshef introduced the UoPeople Women Scholarship Fund today to assist in equalizing both the University’s and regional gender inequalities in higher education.

Hewlett-Packard, the first corporation to get involved, has pledged $200,000 to sponsor 100 women to acquire an Associate’s Degree.

Shai Reshef announced the UoPeople Scholarship Fund at the DLDWomen12 conference. The DLDWomen12 conference explores the question of how digitalization is changing lives and the lives of women in particular. Steffi Czerny, DLDWomen Founder explained, “We want the UoPeople Women Scholarship Fund to be a DLD project for this year. We hope to get DLD corporate partners to commit to educating at least 1,000 women, and are very pleased to have HP kick-start it all off for the first 100 women.”

University of the People is a tuition-free online University dedicated to opening access to higher education worldwide. Many of the University’s students are those who have no other alternatives and are disadvantaged financially – especially the organization’s female students. UoPeople strives to provide women equal educational access to become empowered and help themselves, their families, their communities and their countries.

“Currently, only 20% of our students are female. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where many of our students come from, only 10% of UoPeople’s students from this region are women. This is shameful, and we want to change this ratio. Between HP and the other corporations we are sure will jump on board, as well as donations to our site, we believe we can rebalance this inequality.“ – Shai Reshef, President, University of the People.

“HP has a longstanding commitment to global citizenship, education, and gender equality,” said Gabi Zedlmayer, vice president, Sustainability and Social Innovation, HP. “We are supporting UoPeople in their most critical mission to change the lives of many women through education and technology. This decision supports our goal to transform teaching and learning through innovation and technology and to help the women around the world to advance professionally.”

To donate to educating women around the globe via the UoPeople Women Scholarship fund, visit: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/WomenCampaign

UOPEOPLE TAKES STEPS TOWARDS ITS PURSUIT OF ACCREDITATION
June 19 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., June 19, 2012 – University of the People is thrilled to announce its work toward accreditation has been recognized with a $500,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

UoPeople is the world’s tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution dedicated to opening the gates to higher education for all those currently constrained access due to financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints. UoPeople seeks to better the lives of many disadvantaged individuals around the world by providing them a tuition-free educational opportunity. To date, more than 1500 students from over 130 countries have been accepted to the University.

“We are working very hard on the attainment of accreditation, and are extremely proud of having the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partnering with us in this quest. Accreditation is important for us, our students and our graduates to as it will afford students significantly better employment prospects upon graduation – thus further improving their lives,” said Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople.

“UoPeople is a part of an emerging set of programs and institutions that is challenging the status quo and effectively meeting non-traditional student needs by leveraging innovative pedagogical and business practices and providing affordable, quality paths to postsecondary credentials. We are proud to be a part of the next major step for UoPeople: attaining accreditation,” said Anh Nguyen, Senior Program Officer on the foundation’s Postsecondary Success team.

In addition to providing direct financial assistance, the grant further demonstrates the ever-growing support by foundations, academia and individuals around the world for UoPeople’s work and attainment of accreditation.

The announcement of UoPeople’s grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation follows recent awards by the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Intel Foundation.

Additionally, this announcement follows the University release regarding the establishment of the UoPeople Presidents Council, comprised of university presidents from top-tier universities. Distinguished members of the UoPeople Presidents Council include Oxford Vice Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas; New York University President John Sexton; Rector Emeritus Mrs. Michele Gendreau-Massaloux, Head of Research and Higher Education, Union of the Mediterranean; Professor Devang Khakhar, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay; and George Washington University President Emeritus Steve Trachtenberg.

And finally, University of the People, as of June 2012, celebrated the realization that more than 1,000,000 individuals have voiced support of the University on Facebook.

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

About University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for internships. The organization has accepted more than 1500 students from 130 countries to date; gained the widespread support of leading academics; garnered a supporter base of over 1,000,000 supporters on Facebook; as well as the attention of media throughout the world. UoPeople is a registered U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3).

UOPEOPLE REACHES A 1,000,000 + SUPPORTERS ON FACEBOOK!
June 4 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., June 4, 2012 – More than a million individuals support University of the People on Facebook, showcasing the exceptional support of UoPeople’s mission to open the gates to higher education for everyone. UoPeople is second in the number of supporters out of all universities on Facebook only to Harvard University.

UoPeople uses the internet culture of Facebook and social networking to bring higher education to the world, tuition-free. As the University is built on the concept of people sharing, learning, teaching, and helping each other online, Facebook is an integral part of the daily activity of UoPeople– from admissions, throughout student’s studies, and all the way through graduation. Applicants and students alike receive feedback on their questions via the University Page and student’s network amongst themselves on student-created UoPeople Facebook groups.

“We are honored at the outstanding support UoPeople has received on Facebook. As UoPeople is non-profit and cannot afford marketing campaigns, this is our only way to spread the word about our mission to open access to higher education. We are extremely grateful to all of our supporters for sharing about the University,” said Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople.

The global presence of UoPeople cannot be understated with support hailing from all corners of the world including Ghana, United States, Iraq, Haiti, Indonesia, Malaysia, Algeria, Peru, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Egypt, France, Sri Lanka, Canada, Palestine, Jordan, Hungary, Tunisia, Philippines, Brazil, Morocco, Mauritius, Argentina, Cambodia and more. Most supporters on Facebook range in age from 18 to 24, with a second group in age ranges of 25 to 34.

The announcement of UoPeople’s exceptional Facebook support follows a recent University announcement about the establishment of the UoPeople Presidents Council, comprised of university presidents from top-tier universities. Distinguished members of the UoPeople Presidents Council include Oxford Vice Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas; New York University President John Sexton; Academy of Paris Rector Emeritus Mrs. Michele Gendreau-Massaloux; Professor Devang Khakhar, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay; and George Washington University President Emeritus Steve Trachtenberg.

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

About University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for internships. The organization has accepted more than 1500 students from over 130 countries to date; gained the widespread support of leading academics; garnered a supporter base of over 1,000,000 supporters on Facebook; as well as the attention of media throughout the world. UoPeople is a registered U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3).

FURTHER RENOWNED SCHOLARS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS SUPPORT UOPEOPLE, JOIN ADVISORY BOARDS
May 8 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., May 8, 2012 –
University of the People is pleased to announce the expansion of its Advisory Boards with the addition of the following outstanding individuals:

Dr. Ariel Kalil, Professor in the Harris School of the University of Chicago, and Director of the Center for Human Potential and Public Policy will join UoPeople’s Arts & Sciences Advisory Board. Dr. Kalil received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan. Before joining the Harris School faculty in 1999, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan’s Poverty Research and Training Center (now the National Poverty Center). She is affiliated with the University of Chicago’s Population Research Center, the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, and the Sloan Center on Working Families. In 2003, she was awarded the Society for Research in Child Development’s first Award for Early Research Contributions.

Ms. Gabriele Zedlmayer, Vice President of the Office of Social Innovation at Hewlett-Packard (HP), will join UoPeople’s Computer Science Advisory Board. In addition to her role at HP, Ms. Zedlmayer co-leads HP’s Global Citizenship Council and serves as a member of the board of directors of Junior Achievement Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the EU Commission e-skills leadership board, and the board of directors of Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Germany. In 2011 she was honored by Newsweek and the Daily Beast as one of 150 “women who shake the world.” Ms. Zedlymayer earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Georgia State University and a Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of Miami.

Dr. Shay David, Chief Revenue Officer and Co-founder of Kaltura will join UoPeople’s Computer Science Advisory Board. A a scholar and serial entrepreneur, specializing in collaborative and open-source information and communication systems, Dr. David brings expansive business and Information Science knowledge. He received his PhD in Science and Technology Studies and Information Science from Cornell University, and lives in New York with his wife and two daughters.

Dr. Terry Fulmer, Professor & Dean of the Bouvé Col­lege of Health Sci­ences at North­eastern Uni­ver­sity will join UoPeople’s Arts & Sciences Advisory Board. Dr. Fulmer received her Bachelor’s Degree from Skidmore College, her Master’s and Doctoral Degrees from Boston College and her Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Post-Master’s Certificate from New York University. She is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and currently serves as vice chair of the New York Academy of Medicine.

The expansion of UoPeople’s Advisory Boards comes on the heels of the announcement three weeks ago of National Science Foundation Alan T. Waterman Award Winner Dr. Dalton Conley becoming the new Dean of Arts & Sciences for UoPeople; and the announcement only days ago of the establishment of UoPeople’s new Presidents Council. The UoPeople Presidents Council is made up of illustrious members including Oxford Vice Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas; New York University President John Sexton; Academy of Paris Rector Emeritus Mrs. Michele Gendreau-Massaloux; Professor Devang Khakhar, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay; and George Washington University President Emeritus Steve Trachtenberg.

“I am so proud of the momentum UoPeople is gaining,” said Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople. “UoPeople is designed to open access to all qualified individuals with the desire to attain higher education, despite any financial, geographic, personal or societal constraints. It is with the greatest of joy that we witness the growing acceptance of this innovative model from traditional higher education, industries and businesses through the individual involvements of these extraordinary scholars and leaders.”

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

About University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for internships. The organization has accepted more than 1400 students from 130 countries to date; gained the widespread support of leading academics; garnered a supporter base of almost 800,000 people on Facebook; as well as the attention of media throughout the world. UoPeople is a registered U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3).

PRESIDENTS OF OXFORD, NYU, GWU AND MORE UNITE BEHIND UOPEOPLE AS MEMBERS OF A NEW COUNCIL
May 2 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., May 2, 2012 –
University of the People’s innovative tuition-free model to democratize higher education is elevated further with the establishment of a Presidents Council, comprised of presidential leadership from top-tier universities around the world. Distinguished members include Oxford Vice Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas; New York University President John Sexton; Rector Emeritus Mrs. Michele Gendreau-Massaloux, Head of Research and Higher Education, Union of the Mediterranean; Professor Devang Khakhar, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay; and George Washington University President Emeritus Steve Trachtenberg.

Bringing together decades of experience, a wealth of knowledge and perspectives from around the world, the Presidents Council will be integral to advancing the mission of UoPeople: to democratize higher education with tuition-free, online programs designed for students otherwise marginalized due to financial, geographic, personal or societal constraints.

“Having the time, backing and wisdom of these leading intellects will be a tremendous asset for UoPeople,” said Shai Reshef, President of UoPeople. “At its very core, UoPeople is about bringing people together through education, and I am honored to witness the growing acceptance of our mission by traditional, top-tier educational institutions.”

Support from Council Members:

Oxford Vice Chancellor Emeritus Sir Colin Lucas, “We all recognize the crucial importance of providing access to education for all those worldwide who are currently impeded by social, economic and geographical circumstances. UoPeople is accomplishing this feat, and represents an opportunity never before actualized on such a scale in higher education.”

New York University President John Sexton, “This Council is another step in NYU’s relationship with UoPeople. We continue to believe in its mission of making available higher education to those for whom it previously was not possible.”

Union of the Mediterranean Head of Higher Education, Rector Emeritus Mrs. Michele Gendreau-Massaloux (Rector Emeritus of the Academy of Paris, Chancellor of the Universities, and Rector Emeritus of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie), “I believe UoPeople can and will have a great impact on the world as a whole, with a special emphasis and importance for Europe and the Mediterranean. UoPeople is a wonderful institution, and I look forward to helping develop it further.”

Professor Devang Khakhar, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, “The introduction of an institution such as University of the People is of great relevance to India with its vast and growing demand for higher education. The objectives of the University of the People are indeed impressive, and I look forward to participating in the University’s attainment of many future achievements.”

George Washington University President Emeritus Steve Trachtenberg, “We are all eager to lend our support to UoPeople in addressing a global and time-pressing issue. We believe in the model, and look forward to being part of its success. For this reason, I encouraged the creation of this Presidents Council for UoPeople, and know that together, we can put our cumulative knowledge to great use that will benefit societies worldwide.”

In addition to semi-annual meetings, the Presidents Council will offer input and guidance to Reshef throughout the year.

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

About University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints.

Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for internships. The organization has accepted more than 1400 students from 130 countries to date; has gained the widespread support of leading academics; garnered a supporter base of over 750,000 people on Facebook; as well as the attention of media throughout the world. UoPeople is a registered U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3). To learn more, visit www.uopeople.org.

DISTINGUISHED ALAN T. WATERMAN AWARD WINNER DR. DALTON CONLEY TO JOIN UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
April 17 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., April 17, 2012 – University of the People (UoPeople) – the world’s tuition-free, online academic institution dedicated to the democratization of higher education – is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Dalton Conley as Dean of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Conley succeeds Dr. Preetha Ram, who will remain involved with UoPeople as an advisory member of the Arts & Sciences Advisory Committee.

Dr. Conley is currently University Professor and Dean for the Social Sciences at NYU. He is also Adjunct Professor of Community Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and serves as a Senior Advisor to the UN Millennium Project.

In 2005, Dr. Conley became the first sociologist (and second social scientist after Lawrence Summers) to win the Alan T. Waterman Award from the National Science Foundation for best young researcher in any field of science, math or engineering. The annual award comes with a half-million dollars of research support. He is also a 2011 Guggenheim Fellow; has received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation; a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award; an International Affairs Fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Conley has been elected to permanent membership in the Council on Foreign Relations and selected as a Young Leader by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations as well as by the French-American Foundation. He has been named one of nine “innovative minds” by SEED Magazine. He was also chosen as a German Marshall Fund Fellow and as a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California—but was unable to accept these due to other commitments.

“Dr. Conley is an impressive academic and individual. In a short amount of time, using ambition and intelligence, he has managed to breeze quickly through numerous achievements across a myriad of levels,” said UoPeople President Shai Reshef. “We are thrilled to have him joining UoPeople as Dean of Arts & Sciences.”

Dr. Conley joins other academic and administrative leaders of UoPeople hailing from New York University including Dr. Russell S. Winer, Dean of Business Administration at UoPeople as well as William Joyce Professor and Chair of the Department of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business; and Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin, Dean of Computer Science of UoPeople and Professor of Information Systems at NYU’s Stern School of Business.

In his personal life decisions, Dr. Conley, as a sociologist bent on bending social rules in order to test them, has made news in the past for his ex-wife Natalie Jeremijenko and himself naming their daughter “E” and son “Yo Xing Heyno Augustus Eisner Alexander Weiser Knuckles.”

Dr. Conley received his undergraduate degree in the Humanities from the University of California at Berkeley in 1990, a Master Degree in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in 1992 and a Ph.D. in Sociology (with distinction) from Columbia University in 1996. In 2009, he finished a M.S. in biology (and an M.Phil. in 2010). Dr. Conley is currently finishing a Ph.D in Biology. Thus far, Dr. Conley has written six books and edited three.

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

About University of the People
University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, non-profit, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer learning, coupled with open-source technology and Open Educational Resources, UoPeople is designed to provide access to college studies for qualified individuals, despite financial, geographic or societal constraints. Founded in 2009 by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, UoPeople has partnered with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for internships. The organization has accepted more than 1400 students from 130 countries to date; has gained the widespread support of leading academics; garnered a supporter base of over 600,000 people on Facebook; as well as the attention of media throughout the world. UoPeople is a registered U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3). To learn more, visit www.uopeople.org.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE PARTNERS FOR TECHNOLOGY IN RAMALLAH, PALESTINE
March 7 ,2012
PASADENA, Calif., March 7, 2012 – In an effort to further develop the sophistication of its technological needs, University of the People (UoPeople) – the world’s tuition-free, online academic institution dedicated to the democratization of higher education – is pleased to announce a partnership with the largest IT company in Ramallah, ASAL Technologies. The partnership is to continue to work on the technological infrastructure behind the online university. With its extensive technology demands, UoPeople searched around the globe for a technology partner capable of meeting its high technology standards. The appeal of the organization’s choice of partnership rests not only in receiving world-class technological services, but in advancing the economic opportunities provided from within Ramallah. As an initiative to even further its commitment to localized economic development in progressing areas, University of the People is also currently exploring the option of opening a back office in Ramallah to stimulate additional job and opportunity creation.

“Part of our excitement with this partnership stems from our desire to be working in different parts of the world to encourage localized job growth,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople. “Our partnership with ASAL Technologies allows us to further the economic progression of Ramallah, and we look forward to working together to build superior technological solutions for University of the People.”

University of the People’s partnership with ASAL Technologies also serves to exemplify the University’s commitment and dedication to the Muslim World. Demographically, while individuals in need of education around the world are all given the same educational opportunity UoPeople offers, the University realizes need for this opportunity specifically within the Arab world. University of the People is committed to strengthening relationships within the Arab world and the University has accepted numerous students from Egypt, Palestine, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and others. Additionally, more than two thirds of UoPeople’s 565,000 Facebook supporters hail from Muslim countries.

The UoPeople – ASAL Technologies partnership has been well received by both companies. “Working with an American University is a sign that the world is gaining trust in the technology services coming from Ramallah, Palestine,” said Murad Tahboub, Founder & General Director, ASAL Technologies. “University of the People is a disruptive initiative which is changing higher education worldwide. We are proud to be working on the technology behind such a grand initiative and assisting in opening access to higher education in Ramallah and around the world.”

A testament to the viability of University of the People’s global appeal and work on opening access to higher education, UoPeople has attracted leadership from New York University, Yale University and Columbia University; has established partnerships with Yale University for research, New York University to accept students and Hewlett-Packard for student internships; and has accepted more than 1,300 students from 126 countries. With such a rapidly growing student population, UoPeople has intense technology needs and ASAL Technologies, which works with Cisco Systems, Intel and Volvo among others, is an excellent choice in technology partnership.

For more information, visit http://www.uopeople.org

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE NAMES NEW DEAN OF GENERAL STUDIES HAILING FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY
July 26 ,2011
PASADENA, Calif., July 26, 2011 – University of the People (UoPeople) has appointed Dr. Preetha Ram as its new Dean of General Studies. She currently sits on the General Studies Advisory Committee and joins academics from top institutions including NYU and Columbia as a member of UoPeople’s scholastic leadership. In her role, Dr. Ram will assist with the creation of academic goals and objectives, while overseeing general studies core curricula and instructional staff. She succeeds Dr. Geraldine Downey who will remain on the General Studies Advisory Committee.

Dr. Ram currently serves as the Associate Dean for Pre-Health and Science Education at Emory University. She founded the PreHealth Mentoring Office to advise and mentor students interested in health care professions. She initiated Emory’s ChemMentors program, which promotes peer-led team learning and has now grown into a college wide academic support program called Supplemental Instruction. An international educator, she led the development of a science curriculum for Tibetan monastics at the request of the Dalai Lama. Her efforts led to a growth of science study aboard programs and internationalization initiatives not only at Emory but in other undergraduate institutions.

“Dr. Ram is an incredible academic pioneer with a passion for international collaboration,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople. “Her leadership and insight will be most valuable as UoPeople continues to progress forward.”

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Ram is a social entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of OpenStudy.com, a social learning network that enables students to connect, get help and study together. The site provides access to study help in real-time, anytime, across institutional boundaries and international borders.

Dr. Ram received her PhD in biophysical chemistry from Yale, holds an MBA from Emory, and an MSc in Chemistry from IIT Delhi. She earned an undergraduate degree from Women’s Christian College, Chennai, India. Dr. Ram has been recognized with several awards and honors including Emory College’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the Natural Sciences for her teaching, the Winship Award for outstanding lecturer faculty, the Emory Goizueta Business Schools’ Entrepreneurship Award for her startup, and a national award from the Institute of International Education, the 2007 Andrew Heiskell Award for her work on internationalization of science. www.preetharam.org

For more information, please visit www.UoPeople.org.

About University of the People
Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

NYU PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE FOR GLOBAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AT NYU ABU DHABI
June 6 ,2011
New York, NY. (June, 2011)— New York University (NYU) will collaborate withUniversity of the People (UoPeople) to identify disadvantaged youth who are eligible for admission to one of the most selective institutions in the world, NYU Abu Dhabi.

“NYU Abu Dhabi has distinguished itself not only by the quality of its students and the selectivity of its admissions, but also by its broad international reach,” said John Sexton, the president of NYU. “That diversity is part of what draws young people of such talent to NYU Abu Dhabi. We admire that UoPeople is seeking to bring higher education to so many of the world’s disadvantaged, and we anticipate a productive collaboration between them and NYU in identifying exceptionally bright and ambitious young people worldwide who could join our Abu Dhabi campus.”

High performing students who have studied for at least one year at UoPeople and meet the standards of admission will be eligible to apply for admission to NYU Abu Dhabi. Successful applicants who qualified would also be eligible for financial aid to help enable them to attend. Gaining admission to NYU Abu Dhabi is highly competitive: This year, NYU Abu Dhabi received 5,854 applications, and extended 196 offers of admission – an acceptance rate of 3.3 percent.

“We are thrilled to have this collaboration between NYU and University of the People,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, University of the People. “Most of our students had no alternative to higher education before we opened the gates for them, and now the most successful may be able to further pursue their dreams by attending one of the best universities in the world. Once we level the playing field, I am confident that all students – whether from Sub-Sahara Africa or New England – are all capable of bettering our world.”

Academic programs and administrative leadership at UoPeople have included distinguished NYU faculty and administrators since the organization launched in 2009. These include Dr. Russell Winer – the William H. Joyce Professor of Marketing and chair of the Marketing Department at NYU’s Stern School of Business – who serves as chair of UoPeople’s Department of Business Administration Department; Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin – a professor of information systems and an NEC Faculty Fellow at NYU’s Stern School – who serves as chair UoPeople’s Department of the Computer Science; and Paul Affuso – the Associate Dean for Administrative Services and Facilities at NYU’s Stern School – who serves as UoPeople’s Chief Financial Officer.

About New York University
Founded in 1831, NYU is one of the world’s foremost research universities and a member of the selective Association of American Universities. The first Global Network University, it has degree-granting university campuses in New York and Abu Dhabi, and has announced a third in Shanghai; has a dozen other global academic sites; and sends mroe students to study abroad than any other U.S. college or university. Through its 18 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and performing arts, music and studio arts, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.

About University of the People
Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

UOPEOPLE UNITES WITH PARTNERS FOR A NEW BEGINNING
May 25 ,2011
Pasadena, Calif. (May 25, 2011)—As the United States works to bring aid to and strengthen relations in the Middle East, University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first tuition-free online university, has joined Partners for a New Beginning (PNB) to spread higher education. Chaired by Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company Muhtar Kent and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, PNB is a collection of public-private partnerships committed to broadening and deepening engagement between the United States and Muslim communities abroad.

Through the implementation of the Building Bridges through Education initiative, UoPeople aims to achieve its mission of democratizing education and promoting peace and cultural understanding via tuition-free, collegiate-level programs for students in Muslim countries. This seamlessly aligns with PNB’s objective, which supports President Obama’s vision for a New Beginning, focusing on economic opportunity, science & technology, education and exchange.

“President Obama recently remarked that in order for democracy to thrive in the region, the United States must help Mideast nations create sustainable economies, including generating jobs for the young. We believe that higher education is the critical precursor,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople. “Building Bridges through Education is an investment in human capital. It offers a unique educational setting, truly global in scale bringing together minds from relevant Muslim countries with minds from all over the world, and will equip students with the necessary skills to become productive individuals, active members of their community and ultimately successful professionals.”

As part of its partnership, each year UoPeople will provide students from countries in which PNB works—Turkey, Pakistan, West Bank/Gaza, Egypt and Indonesia— access to higher education. Eligible students will be admitted to study programs and work toward a Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree in either Business Administration or Computer Science. Graduates in these disciplines will gain highly sought after skills including increased professional development, enlarged networks and enhanced employment prospects.

Launched in September 2009, UoPeople has received a warm welcome in Muslim countries. Currently, 25 percent of the UoPeople student body and more than 50 percent of its 300,000 Facebook supporters are comprised of individuals from Muslim countries.

Reshef will participate in the inaugural PNB Summit at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. on May 31 and June 1, 2011. The PNB Summit will bring together PNB Local Chapter leaders, Steering Committee members, senior government officials and other key stakeholders for an in-depth discussion and exchange of ideas on PNB’s priority initiatives.

About University of the People

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE NOURISHES MINDS, STUDENTS & LOCAL ECONOMY IN HAITI
May 2 ,2011
Pasadena, Calif. (May 2, 2011)—Working with on-the-ground teams, University of the People (UoPeople) has expanded its presence in Haiti with the opening of two new Student Computer Centers and a feeding program, both which serve its local student body.

The Student Computer Centers provide students with the resources, namely web-enabled computers, to successfully complete their online programs. The first Student Learning Center opened in November in Port-au-Prince and the two newest centers, established with the help of the Foundation for the Technological and Economic Advancement of Mirebalais (FATEM) and ETRE Ayisyen Foundation, are located in Mirebalais and Port-au-Prince.

Additionally, UoPeople has instituted a student feeding program at one of its center to nourish both students and the local economy. Managed by ally organization Haitian Connection Network (HCN), the program allows for 20 students to receive a free meal each day, prepared by local women at their homes, using only local ingredients from nearby marketplaces. The meals are then picked up by a designated HCN student and delivered to the Student Learning Center.

“Where many organizations supplied resources in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, UoPeople seeks to integrate a lasting solution to the country’s recovery and economic health,” said Shai Reshef, Founder and President, UoPeople. “Many of our students have suffered tremendously in the past year, and we believe they should not have to worry about anything as basic as food when they’re seeking to earn an education and truly make a difference in the world.”

Fifty Haitian youth are currently studying at UoPeople. As part of its commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, UoPeople aims to help 250 local students work towards an Associate’s Degree in either Business Administration or Computer Science over a three year period. Access to the online programs at UoPeople provide Haitian students with the opportunity to attain higher education without having to leave Haiti, not only empowering individual project participants, but also raising the standards for, and access to, higher education. The first semester of this program began on November 18, 2010.

UoPeople is currently seeking funds fulfill its commitment to Haiti. With financial support, UoPeople will establish additional computer and resource centers, as well as feeding programs, in the coming months and years.

To learn more about donating to University of the People’s Haiti project, please visithttp://www.uopeople.org/groups/haitiproject. UoPeople is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization.

About University of the People

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

ACADEMICS FROM CALIFORNIA, GREECE, NIGERIA AND NEW YORK JOIN UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
March 2 ,2011
Pasadena, Calif. (February, 2011)—In an effort to achieve its aggressive goals as the world’s first tuition-free online university, University of the People (UoPeople) today announced several new educators on its roster of academic leaders.

Ogechi Adeola will serve as the Associate Dean for Curriculum Development, Business Administration, working with the Russell Winer, Dean of Business Administration. Adeola holds a law degree from University of Nigeria, an MBA in Financial Management from Manchester Business School, University of Manchester (UK) and a Certificate of Merit from Institute for Financial Management (University of Wales, Bangor).

Paul Affuso will become Chief Financial Officer. Previously, Affuso served as Associate Dean for Administrative Services & Facilities at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, overseeing the day to day operating needs of the School and all capital projects and plans.

Jack R. Goetz will assume the role of Vice President for Academic Affairs. Goetz was founding Dean and president of Concord University School of Law, the first online law school (in California). Goetz also founded and currently teaches a Mediation and Conflict Resolution program at the California State University at Northridge Tseng College. Beyond his academic achievements, Goetz has been an advocate of access to quality higher education. He co-founded the Goetz Higher Education Scholarship Fund, which to date has granted nearly $100,000 in scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Panagiotis Kalagiakos will serve as the Associate Dean for Curriculum Development, Computer Science, working closely with Alexander Tuzhilin, Dean of Computer Science. Currently Kalagiakos serves as an Assistant Professor of Programming Technologies at Advanced Technological Institute of Athens and an Assistant Professor of Computing at the Police Academy in Greece. Kalagiakos holds a B.Sc. in Computer Information Systems from The American College of Greece, a M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey and a Ph.D. in Software Engineering from the University of Birmingham (UK).

Shawn Moustafa will serve as the new Associate VP for Academic Affairs. . Moustafa currently serves as the Director of Curriculum and Academic Development at California Coast University, a pioneer in distance learning, where he teaches marketing and management courses.
“As our student body continues to grow, we must meet their academic needs,” said Shai Reshef, founder and president, UoPeople. “I am confident that these individuals will each add great value and bring a new global perspective to our programs.”

UoPeople is currently in the third term of its second academic year, and to date has accepted over 800 students from 110 different countries.

About University of the People
Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

SHAI RESHEF NAMED ULTIMATE GAME CHANGER IN EDUCATION BY HUFFINGTON POST AND 3 MILLION READERS

October 28 ,2010

Pasadena, Calif. (October 28, 2010)—Honored for his work in higher education and recognized for “taking the world to school,” Shai Reshef, founder and president ofUniversity of the People (UoPeople), was chosen as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education by The Huffington Post and its readers.

Last month The Huffington Post named its 2010 Game Changers—100 innovators, visionaries, and leaders who are changing the way we look at the world and the way we live in it. They then asked readers to elect the Ultimate Game Changer is in each of 12 categories: Politics, Entertainment, Style, Tech, Business, Travel, Green, Sports, Food, Education, Media and Impact. Over 3 million people cast their vote to determine the winners.
“This is truly a remarkable recognition,” said Reshef. “My hope is that University of the People will become a model for change. I must also acknowledge the other contenders. There was no shortage of competition in the education category and I strongly admire the work of my fellow nominees. I hope all of our combined efforts will help to transform an education system in need of reform.”

The group of Ultimate Game Changers includes Steve Jobs (Technology), Elizabeth Warren (Politics), Paul Volcker (Business), Geoffrey Canada (Impact), Barbara Kowalcyk (Food), Ric O’Barry (Green), Amy Palmiero-Winters & Catherine Hughes (Sports), Matt Taibbi (Media), Jeff Skoll (Entertainment), Kate Hanni (Travel) and Joe Bozich (Style).

About University of the People

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints.

CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE ADVANCES UOPEOPLE PLEDGE TO DEMOCRATIZE HIGHER EDUCATION IN HAITI
September 20 ,2010

Pasadena, Calif. (September 20, 2010)—With the support of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), University of the People (UoPeople) today announced its commitment to provide access to higher education in Haiti. The tuition-free online institution will provide university-aged, Haitian students with the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education, allowing them to improve their own standard of living, as well as that of their families and communities.

Over a three year period, UoPeople will accept 250 qualified Haitian students to study online with their peers around the world, utilizing the institution’s resources to earn an Associate’s Degree in either Business Administration or Computer Science.

“This commitment is designed to elevate and empower the youth population in Haiti, many of whom currently reside in refugee camps and would not otherwise have the means to pursue higher education,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople. “By bringing educational resources and encouraging students to study in their home country, we are not only helping individual project participants, but providing them with the vital skill set to rebuild their country while also raising the standards for higher education within Haiti.”

In partnership with the Haitian Connection Network and World Computer Exchange, UoPeople will establish learning centers in Port–au-Prince. The learning centers will be equipped with computers and high speed Internet connection to enable students to have access to UoPeople’s online courses. UoPeople will ensure that a support staff is in place to facilitate the smooth operation of the learning centers.

“Haiti’s higher education system was severely impacted by January’s earthquake” added Reshef. “Twenty-eight of Haiti’s 32 major universities were completely destroyed and the four remaining universities were severely damaged. UoPeople is helping to address a critical need and will arm the country with educated minds that will aid in rebuilding the country.”

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About University of the People

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints. Enrollment is currently open for Term 2 of the 2010-2011 academic year.

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society. For more information, visit
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.

September 15 ,2010
Pasadena, Calif. (September 15, 2010)—Recognized for bettering the world through accessible higher education, Shai Reshef, founder and president of University of the People (UoPeople), has been nominated as a HuffPost Game Changer.

Awarded by The Huffington Post, the accolade celebrates innovators, visionaries, mavericks, and leaders who are transforming their fields through innovation. Honoring individuals in 12 different categories including politics, entertainment, style, tech, business, travel, green, sports, food, education, media, and impact, The Huffington Post selected Reshef for taking the world to school.

“I am so thrilled to receive this honor,” said Reshef. “I greatly respect the work of The Huffington Post and the other honorees, and am flattered to be in their company. I look forward our continued work at UoPeople and as a contributing blogger to The Huffington Post.”

Reshef joins an elite group of forward thinkers and change-agents in the field of education including Jill Biden, David Cho, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Edward Burger, Anya Kamenetz, Michelle Rhee and Myron Rolle.

To vote for Reshef as the ultimate game changer in education, please visit:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/15/who-is-the-ultimate-game-_11_n_703679.html#s125177. Picks will be revealed in October.

For more information about UoPeople, please visit www.UoPeople.org. Reshef’s blog is available on The Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shai-reshef

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE APPOINTS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AS DEAN OF GENERAL STUDIES
September 13 ,2010
Pasadena, Cali. (September 13, 2010)—University of the People (UoPeople) has appointed Dr. Geraldine Downey as its Dean of General Studies. In her role, Dr. Downey will assist with the creation of academic goals and objectives, while managing general studies and core curricula and instructional staff.

Dr. Downey currently serves as a professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of its Social Relations Laboratory. From 2007 until 2009, she served as Vice-Provost for Diversity Initiatives at Columbia. In this capacity, Dr. Downey worked to implement the University’s diversity mission statement and in particular led efforts to increase the diversity of Columbia’s faculty, administration and officers of research. She has also held research positions at the University of Michigan and Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin, Ireland.

“Dr. Downey is a remarkable leader and we are thrilled she will be sharing her expertise and knowledge with UoPeople,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople. “Dr. Downey will serve UoPeople well as we embark on our second year of classes.”

The author of several books and articles, Dr. Downey’s primary research area is the study of personal and status based rejection. Trained as a developmental psychologist, she has conducted extensive research on rejection sensitivity in the context of interpersonal relationships and in institutional settings such as schools. Dr. Downey is a member of American Psychological Association, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Society for Research in Child Development and Society for Research in Adolescence.

She has been the recipient of honors and awards including the W.T. Grant Faculty Scholar, NIMH FIRST Award, Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Award for Junior Faculty and Columbia University Distinguished Faculty Award.

Dr. Downey received her B.A. from University College, Dublin, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell University. She succeeds Dr. Ruth Yakir, who will now serve on the University’s General Advisory Committee.

September 7 ,2010

Pasadena, Cali. (September 7, 2010)—University of the People (UoPeople) today announced the establishment of its Library Services Advisory Committee. Tasked with providing counsel and developing all aspects of the institution’s online library, the group is comprised of library scientists from universities both in the U.S. and abroad.

Chaired by Ms. Ilene Frank, who currently serves as UoPeople as Director of Library Services, the committee includes:
Ms. Carol Goodson, Head of Library Access Services at the University of West Georgia, where she oversees services for distance education students.

Mr. Jim Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian at Columbia University where he provides leadership for university academic computing and a system of twenty-two libraries.
Mr. Tom Peters, CEO of TAP Information Services, founded in 2003 to assist libraries, publishers and other such organizations in research and assessment services. Mr. Peters has served as the Dean of University Libraries at Western Illinois University and as Humanities Reference Librarian and Coordinator of Bibliographic Instruction, Miller Nichols Library, University of Missouri–Kansas City.
Ms. Elizabeth Watson, Campus Librarian at the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados of The University of the West Indies (UWI). A member of the Barbados National Commission for UNESCO and Chair of the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee (MoW) in Barbados, Ms. Watson also serves as a member of the (International) Marketing Committee for MoW.

“As we continue to grow, we will look to these top minds in the discipline of library sciences to ensure the tools we offer the UoPeople community are top quality,” said Shai Reshef, Founder & President, University of the People. “Their guidance and direction will prove invaluable for our resource center.”

University of the People Library and Resource Center (ULRC) provides students and faculty access to various collections of quality academic resources and services to support the University’s academic programs. Students and faculty have access to subscriptions via Library and Information Resources Network (LIRN), a rich and powerful collection of over 60 million proprietary resources. Additionally, the center provides recommendations of open educational resources, including open access textbooks and course materials. The Library Services offered by the ULRC also includes online access to assistance from librarians.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE AND WORLD COMPUTER EXCHANGE PARTNER TO PROVIDE WORLDWIDE DIGITAL SCHOOLING

July 21 ,2010
Pasadena, Cali. (July 21, 2010)— Working to improve educational opportunities in developing countries, University of the People (UoPeople) and the World Computer Exchange (WCE) have partnered, strengthening their shared missions of democratized access to education.

Tapping WCE’s global network of partner organizations with their more than 2,650 computer labs, the collaboration will offer more prospective and current UoPeople students increased access to computers with Internet connections for their studies. This will enable qualified individuals without computers to reap the educational benefits of UoPeople. Additionally, WCE will help promote UoPeople through its marketing channels, enabling the institution to target prospective students in new regions.

“Our goal is simple: provide higher education to anyone with the drive to learn by creating access to computers with Internet connections,” said Shai Reshef, Founder and President, UoPeople. “While demand for UoPeople has been great, we have discovered that many qualified applicants are unable to join us because they don’t have access to a computer. By partnering with the World Computer Exchange, we will continue to grow our student body, reaching both individuals who have the technological resources to study with us and those who lack them.”

Focused on connecting more youth to the skills, understanding and opportunities of the Internet, WCE works closely with partners in over 71 developing nations, deploying refurbished computer, providing on-line capacity building, and dispatching teams of tech and educational training professionals.

With a closely aligned mission, UoPeople is committed to maximizing the accessibility to a high-quality, university level education through tuition-free online learning. Leveraging the free exchange of information via the Internet and social networking, UoPeople applies these concepts to academia, creating a global platform for higher education. Since its launch in 2009, UoPeople has enrolled over 500 students from almost 100 countries around the world—a testament to the need for such a venture. The University aims to enroll 15,000 students in its first five years of operation.

“We strive to make the best use of the Internet and what better use is there than giving people access to education,” said Timothy Anderson, President, WCE. “University of the People is a model for change, truly utilizing the power of the Internet for all of our core values. We are pleased to be partnering with them to provide the necessary digital tools for studying which are in such short supply in many developing nations.”

About University of the People

Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints. Enrollment is currently open for Term 1 of the 2010-2011 academic calendar.

About World Computer Exchange

World Computer Exchange (www.WorldComputerExchange.org) is a global education & environment nonprofit that helps connect youth in developing countries to the skills, opportunities & understanding of the Internet while keeping working computers out of landfills. WCE provides its network of partner organizations with: teacher training, educational content, online capacity building and sends volunteer tech teams to help. WCE is piloting a program of university exchanges of faculty, students, curriculum, and computer, energy and water technologies.

NEW EDUCATIONAL MODEL ATTRACTS SUPPORT FROM SEVEN MORE PROMINENT ACADEMICS
July 14 ,2010
Pasadena, Cali. (July 14, 2010)— Continuing its mission of high scholastic excellence, University of the People (UoPeople) is expanding its Advisory Committees to welcome several influential visionaries from the world of education, business and beyond, and also announces a Director of Library Services. The new members hail from institutions including Harvard University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Yale University and Rutgers University.

The Business Administration Advisory Committee, led by Program Chair Dr. Russell Winer (William Joyce Professor and Chair of the Department of Marketing at the Stern School of Business, New York University) and including Dr. Gabriel Hawawini (Henry Grunfeld Chaired Professor of Investment Banking and former dean of INSEAD), welcomes:

Professor Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak, a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, the President of the Institute of Future Studies for Development in Thailand and former advisor to the Prime Minister of Thailand;

Dr. Indu Shahani, a thought leader in student empowered teaching-learning models, the Hon’ble Sheriff of Mumbai and the Principal of H.R. College of Commerce & Economics.

The Computer Science Advisory Committee, which is headed by Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin (Professor of Information Systems at the Stern School of Business, New York University), welcomes:

Dr. Vijay Atluri, Professor of Computer Information Systems in the MSIS Department and Research Director for the Center for Information Management, Integration and Connectivity at Rutgers University;

Professor HV Jagadish, the Bernard A Galler Collegiate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan and a Senior Scientific Director of the National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics established by the National Institutes of Health;

Professor Vincent Oria, Associate Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and renowned researcher;

Dr. Avi Silberschatz, award-winning educator, author and researcher, Sidney J. Weinberg Professor of Computer Science and Chair of the Computer Science Department at Yale University.

“The new Advisory Committee members will oversee the academic programs in their respective fields and will contribute to enriching the breadth and depth of each program,” said Dr. David Cohen, Provost, UoPeople. “Their involvement will be fundamental to assuring the high level of academic quality we expect of our programs.”

Additionally, Ms. Ilene Frank joins UoPeople as Director of Library Services. Previously, Ms. Frank was a reference librarian at the University of South Florida from 1974 to 2009, when she retired with professor emerita status. Ms. Frank will oversee all aspects of the University of the People Library and Resource Center.

“The continued support that we receive from top-notch academics all over the world provides further confirmation that we are on the right path and will achieve our mission to democratize education,” added Mr. Shai Reshef, Founder & President, UoPeople.

For more information, please visit www.UoPeople.org.

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About University of the PeopleFounded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef in January 2009, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints. Enrollment is currently open for Term 1 of the 2010-2011 academic calendar.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE ATTRACTS ACADEMICS FROM COLUMBIA, YALE AND NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

November 19 ,2009

Bolstering its ambitious academic mission, University of the People (UoPeople) today announced leading educators from Columbia and New York University have joined the organization’s scholastic leadership. Former Vice President and Dean of Columbia Dr. David Harris Cohen and New York University Professor Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin have been named Provost and Computer Science Department Chair, respectively.

Following a distinguished career as a neurobiologist and university administrator, Dr. David Harris Cohen will serve as the UoPeople Provost, overseeing academics. From 1995 to 2003, Dr. Cohen was the Vice President and Dean of the Faculty for Arts & Sciences at Columbia University, where he was also professor of Biological Sciences and professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry. Before joining Columbia, Dr. Cohen was at Northwestern University from 1986 to 1995, initially as the Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School, and then as Provost. He also held professorial appointments in the Departments of Neurobiology and Physiology. Throughout his career, Dr. Cohen has worked with a number of organizations, including Association of American Medical Colleges and Society for Neuroscience, in a variety of capacities. Dr. Cohen received his A.B. magna cum laude with highest honors from Harvard in 1960 and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1963.

Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin joins University of the People as the Chair of the Computer Science Department, with over two decades of experience at New York University (NYU). He is currently Professor of Information Systems at the Stern School of Business and has previously held visiting positions at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications in Paris. Dr. Tuzhilin’s research has been published in over 90 ACM, IEEE and INFORMS journals and conference proceedings. He has also served on the editorial boards of various journals and on program and organizing committees of numerous conferences, including as a Program Co-Chair of the Third IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM) and as a Conference Co-Chair of the Third ACM Conference on Recommender Systems (RecSys). Prior to joining Stern in 1989, Dr. Tuzhilin earned a Ph. D. degree in Computer Science from the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, also part of NYU.

Dr. Tuzhilin’s NYU colleague, Dr. Russell Winer, currently serves as Chair of the Business Administration Department and a member of the Advisory Committee.

In addition to backing by educators from these storied instructions, UoPeople is also supported by the Information Society Project at Yale Law School (Yale ISP). Bringing more than a decade of leadership in developing the principles of access to knowledge and equitable digital education, Yale ISP is the research partner of UoPeople. Jack Balkin, Yale ISP Director and Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School, serves on the Advisory Committee of UoPeople.

“The support UoPeople has received in one short year is a confirmation of its mission and potential,” said Shai Reshef, founder & president, UoPeople. “The democratization of higher education is an ambitious job but not out of reach, especially when great minds from Columbia, NYU and Yale are brought together. We are thrilled to have Dr. Cohen and Dr. Tuzhilin as leaders at UoPeople.”

Launched in January 2009, with this first-term beginning this past September, UoPeople is a tuition-free, online academic institution designed to reach the world’s disenfranchised communities. To date, hundreds of students from dozens of countries have begun their tertiary studies at UoPeople.

YALE ISP AND UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
November 2 ,2009

New Haven, CT and Pasadena, CA. – The Information Society Project (ISP) at Yale Law School is expanding its research program in digital education by entering into a research partnership with University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Dedicated to the global advancement and democratization of higher education, UoPeople is a nonprofit organization comprised of volunteers and students from around the world.

UoPeople currently offers two online programs of study: Business Administration and Computer Science.
Jack Balkin, Yale ISP Director and Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School, serves on the Advisory Committee of University of the People. He said the global initiative combines two important ideas: “The first is that digital networks and social software platforms allow people to produce valuable information goods at an increasingly low cost. The second is that affordable education is a crucial ingredient for human development and human freedom. Harnessing new technologies to deliver low-cost education to people around the world is a daring venture. It is also the kind of experiment that everyone should want to succeed.”

Yale ISP Executive Director Laura DeNardis said the partnership between the Yale ISP and University of the People makes sense since the two share an interest in improving access to education around the world through new digital technologies. “Advances in social networking software, Internet access technologies, and digitization processes facilitate the education of individuals and communities in numbers that were previously unimaginable. These advancements, however, have not yet reached their potential to bring effective digital education to the world’s poorest areas—and that is something this collaboration will help change.”

The Yale ISP brings to UoPeople more than a decade of leadership in developing the principles of access to knowledge and equitable digital education, including founding the global digital education movement, Dynamic Coalition of Digital Education, formed as part of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum. A world-renowned site of learning, research, and public service, the Yale ISP is uniquely positioned to help pave the way for effective digital education innovations around the globe. Within the partnership, the Yale ISP will engage in research, advocacy, and network building to advance the marketplace of ideas supporting UoPeople’s effort to create accessible, high-quality digital education.

Shai Reshef, Founder and President of UoPeople, echoed the enthusiasm and need for this partnership: “It brings together a storied academic institution with 300 years of enriching the educational world and a fledgling university introducing a new approach to academia. I am confident that the synergy of these two organizations—united by their common goals—will allow us to make significant strides in digital education, bringing collegiate level studies to anyone who welcomes the opportunity to learn. We look forward to embarking on this joint venture with one of the top educational institutions in the world.”

About Yale ISP:
The Yale ISP is an intellectual center addressing the implications of the Internet and new information technologies for law and society, guided by the values of democracy, development, and equality. Information about the Yale ISP is available at its web sitehttp://isp.law.yale.edu and blog http://yaleispblog.net/.

About University of the People:
Founded by educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. Based on the principles of e-learning and peer-to-peer teaching, coupled with open-source technology and courseware, UoPeople is designed to provide universal access to college studies, despite geographic and economic constraints. Term 2 begins November 19. Enrollment is currently open for Term 3 which begins February 4 2010.

CONTACTS: Pamela Brown, 646.695.7048, [email protected]
Abby Berman, 646.695.7043, [email protected]

FORMER PRESIDENT OF INDIA DR. ABDUL KALAM

August 4 ,2009

New Delhi, India (August 4, 2009)- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who served as President of India from 2002 to 2007, today met with Mr. Shai Reshef, founder & president of University of the People(UoPeople), in a display of his support for the pioneering initiative. An advocate for the integration of technology into education, Dr. Kalam believes that academics can stabilize developing societies and, in turn, create peace worldwide.

During the meeting at his residence in New Delhi, Dr. Kalam offered UoPeople his time and resources to help the organization reach its full potential as the world’s first tuition-free online academic institution. In addition to welcoming the invitation to be a guest lecturer at UoPeople, Dr. Kalam will provide the school with access to his course materials and other written works.

“Our goals at UoPeople are lofty but Dr. Kalam helps place them within reach,” said Reshef. “We are honored to have his support.”

One of the most distinguished scientists of India with honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions, Dr. Kalam served as the President of India from 2002 to 2007. Prior to his presidency, Dr. Kalam made significant contributions in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle and the evolution of Indian Space Research Organization’s launch vehicle program. He also developed Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organization, served as the Scientific Advisor to Defense Minister and Secretary, Department of Defense Research & Development, and pursued academics as a professor and author. In 1998, he and co-author Dr. Y. S. Rajan wrote India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium, in which they outline plans to develop India into a knowledge superpower and developed nation by the year 2020. Once Dr. Kalam was elected, he quickly became known as the “People’s President,” implementing his plans and using science and technology to transform the nation and establish its assertive role in international relations.

Recently named one of Fast Company magazine’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” Mr. Reshef has spent 20 years in the international education arena. Formerly, he served as Chairman of the Kidum Group, the largest for-profit educational services company in Israel, which he sold to Kaplan in 2005, and KIT eLearning, the eLearning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the United States. In addition to his role as founder & president of UoPeople, he currently serves as the Chairman of Cramster.com, an online global study community helping hundreds of thousands of students with their homework, and on the High-Level Panel of Advisers for the United Nations’ Global Alliance for ICT and Development.

SHAI RESHEF PRESENTS KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN INDUSTRY : FOURTH UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY COUNCIL SYMPOSIUM

July 31 ,2009

Kolkata, India (July 31, 2009)- Education entrepreneur Shai Reshef presented a keynote address today at the Fourth University Industry Council Symposium hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Held July 31-August 1 in Kolkata, India, the Symposium brought together visionaries to explore the mutually beneficial relationship between education and the industry in the rapid and sustainable economic growth of India.

Reshef was selected by CII Principal Advisor Dr. Y. S. Rajan, on behalf of the organization, in light of his most recent enterprise- University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first tuition-free university which exemplifies a synergistic approach toward education and industry. Adapting open-source technology and the conventions of social networking to academia, UoPeople effectively creates a high-quality, low-cost and global pedagogical model. Rajan, who currently serves on the UoPeople Advisory Committee, is a well-recognized authority in the field of technology development and business management in India.

“In an increasingly knowledge driven economy, industry-academic collaboration is imperative to sustainable economic and social development,” said Dr. Rajan. “University of the People offers one of the best examples of such collaboration, and we were thrilled to have its founder to this year’s Symposium.”

“There are 378 universities, over 20,000 colleges and about 10 million students pursuing higher education in India,” said Reshef. “The numbers are impressive but there are still millions of people in India and throughout the world who are excluded from earning a college education. I am confident that this does not have to be the case, and that the conversations we began at this symposium will lead to a better understanding of the need for accessible education and the avenues to get there.”

Reshef spoke during the session “Successful Country Models of Industry-Academia Collaborations.” He was joined by Peter Hodgson, Director of the Institute for Technology Research and Innovation at Deakin University (Victoria, Australia) and Ng Wun Jern, Executive Director of the Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute in Singapore, as well as session chairman J. A. K. Tareen, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University (Pondicherry, India).

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE EXPANDS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ADVISORY COMMITTEE

July 14 ,2009

Pasadena, CA-Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Ms. June Arunga of Open Quest Media LLC and Black Star Lines join an elite group of academics, humanitarians and other visionaries as the newest members of the Advisory Committee to University of the People (UoPeople), the world’s first tuition-free online academic institution.

Abdul Waheed Khan, Ph.D., currently serves as the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He joined UNESCO from the Indira Gandhi National Open University in New Delhi, India, and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Vancouver, Canada, which recently presented him with a prestigious honorary fellowship. Throughout his career, Dr. Khan has consulted for international agencies including the World Bank, the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development and the United Nations Population Fund, and has been the recipient of several awards and distinctions such as the “India 2000 Millennium Award for Education and World Peace” and “Super Brain of India Gold Award 2000.”

A Kenyan-native who lives in Ghana, June Arunga is a founding partner and member of the board of directors at Black Star Lines, a technology solution provider for cell-phone based payments and money transfers in Africa, and the founder and president of Open Quest Media LLC in New York. Most recently, Ms. Arunga was named to Fast Company magazine’s list of the “100 Most Creative People in Business” for her vocal presence, activism and documentaries on Africa, including the BBC’s “The Devil’s Footpath.” Ms. Arunga is an advisory board member of Moving Picture Institute, Global Envision and Hawaii Grassroot Institute, and a fellow at International Policy Network (London, UK) and Istituto Bruno Leoni (Milan, Italy). She holds a law degree from the University of Buckingham.

Dr. Khan and Ms. Arunga are welcomed to the Advisory Committee by UoPeople founder and president Shai Reshef, as well as fellow committee members Professor Jack Balkin (Yale Law School), Mr. Ryan Craig (Wellspring and Bridgepoint Education), Professor Daniel Greenwood (Hofstra University), Dr. Gabriel Hawawini (University of Pennsylvania and INSEAD), Ambassador M. Humayun Kabir of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the U.S., Dr. Mihai Nadin (University of Texas at Dallas), Dr. Y.S. Rajan (Confederation of Indian Industry), Dr. David Wiley (Brigham Young University) and Dr. Russell Winer (New York University).

“Dr. Khan and Ms. Arunga will both provide extensive knowledge in their respective fields, as well as fresh perspectives, to the already impressive roster of advisors,” said Shai Reshef, founder & president, UoPeople. “We are thrilled to have them on board and look forward to their contributions to the University of the People.”

Since opening enrollment in April, UoPeople has received over 1,500 applicants spanning more than 150 countries. The first semester of classes are slated to begin in September.

UNITED NATIONS – PRESS CONFERENCE ON FIRST EVER TUITION-FREE GLOBAL ONLINE UNIVERSITY

May 19 ,2009

http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2009/090519_ICT.doc.htm

LEADING EDUCATORS JOIN GLOBAL INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE APPOINTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

May 19 ,2009

Pasadena, CA -University of the People, the world’s first tuition-free online academic institution, today unveiled a high-level Advisory Committee and Chair of Business Administration at a press briefing held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The announcement was made by Shai Reshef, Founder & President of University of the People (UoPeople; www.UoPeople.org) and Adviser to United Nations’ Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID).

Comprised of distinguished academic professionals, humanitarians and other visionaries who reflect the diversity and mission of University of the People, the Advisory Committee will play a key role in evolution of the school. They will aid in the development of curriculum, academic policies and alliances. The advisors are:
– Professor Jack Balkin, Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School, Director of Yale’s Information Society Project and Co-director of Yale’s Law and Media Program
– Mr. Ryan Craig, J.D., Founder and President of Wellspring, the leading organization addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity through educational programs, and Director of Bridgepoint Education, a top provider of post-secondary education services
– Professor Daniel J. H. Greenwood, Professor of Law at the Hofstra University School of Law
– Dr. Gabriel Hawawini, Henry Grunfeld Chaired Professor of Investment Banking, Visiting Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and former Dean of INSEAD, one of the leading and largest graduate business schools
– Ambassador M. Humayun Kabir, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United States
– Dr. Mihai Nadin, Endowed Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, and Founder and Director of anté Institute for Research in Anticipatory Systems
– Dr. Y. S. Rajan, Principal Adviser of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and co-author of a best-selling book INDIA 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (with India’s former President Abdul Kalam)
– Dr. David Wiley, Associate Professor of Instructional Psychology and Technology at Brigham Young University, Chief Openness Officer of Flat World Knowledge, Founder of the Open High School of Utah and Founder of OpenContent.org
– Dr. Russell S. Winer, Executive Director of the Marketing Science Institute in Cambridge, MA, and the William Joyce Professor and Chair of the Department of Marketing at the Stern School of Business, New York University.

In addition to his role on the Advisory Committee, Dr. Winer has been appointed Chair of the Business Administration Department. Dr. Winer will be instrumental in the formation of the program during its initial stages, overseeing its launch and setting its direction. University of the People is currently in the process of recruiting a Chair of the Computer Science Department.

“The University of the People brings together some of the greatest and most progressive minds in academia and world affairs today, providing an unparalleled global perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing education in developing and developed nations,” said Reshef. “With unique insight and depth of knowledge, this diverse group will propel University of the People to ever-higher levels of esteem and service. We are honored to have them join us in making accessible universal higher education a reality.”

UoPeople opened enrollment for its first class of students in April. To date, 207 students have registered from 51 countries, including Rwanda, Venezuela, South Korea, Pakistan, Jordan, Germany and the United States. Enrollment will be capped at 300 for the first semester, with an expected growth-rate of 30 percent every semester thereafter. Each academic year consists of three semesters.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON THE MIDDLE EAST PRESENTS SHAI RESHEF

May 15 ,2009

Pasadena, CA -Shai Reshef, founder & president of University of the People, has been invited as a panelist at World Economic Forum on the Middle East. A timely gathering of the foremost regional and global leaders to engage in a strategic examination of the Middle East’s aspirations for prosperity amidst a complex geopolitical landscape, the Forum will take place in Dead Sea, Jordan from May 15 through May 17.

While education traditionally tops Middle East government agendas, the region’s schools and universities continue to lag behind the global average. In this light, Reshef will participate on the panel “Rethinking Education on the Middle East.” The discussion will address how educational systems can be transformed into catalysts of innovation, entrepreneurial behavior and critical thinking. Reshef joins an impressive roster of experts on the panel including:
– Hoda Baraka, Director, Egyptian Education Initiative (PMO), Egypt
– Hala Bsaisu-Lattouf, Minister of Social Development of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
– Jennifer Corriero, Co-Founder and Executive Director, TakingITGlobal, Canada
– Ali Kolaghassi, Vice-President, Saudi Oger, Saudi Arabia
– Pierre N. Rolin, Founder, Chairman and CEO, StratREAL, United Kingdom
– Shailendra Vyakarnam, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Moderated by Angel Cabrera, President, Thunderbird School of Global Management, USA and Chair, Global Agenda Council on Entrepreneurship, “Rethinking Education in the Middle East” will be held on May 16 at 5pm in Mount Nebo Hall 1, King Hussein Talal Convention Center.

For more information, visit www.weforum.org.

UNIVERSITY 2.0: THE NEXT GENERATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION GOES GLOBAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE LAUNCHES WEB SITE AND OPENS ENROLLMENT

May 14 ,2009

Pasadena, CA—Adapting the conventions of social networking to academia, the Internet-based University of the People (UoPeople) has set the stage for global advancement of higher education. With enrollment now underway, UoPeople today launched its official Web site, www.UoPeople.org the face of the first online platform to provide universal access to collegiate level studies, reaching the poorest and most remote places on earth. High-quality, low-cost and universal, the UoPeople pedagogical model utilizes open-source technology and courseware. Prospective students may register at http://www.UoPeople.org/admission/.

“The impact of technology on every facet of life is undeniable, and now it is reaching the educational arena. The next generation of students may not think virtual classrooms are innovative, but they are today,” said Shai Reshef, founder and president, UoPeople. “Technology is the vessel to universal higher education, and I look forward to enrolling our first class of enthusiastic minds ready to embrace this new outlet for learning.”

UoPeople utilizes open-source technology and open courseware, as well as the principles of eLearning and peer-to-peer teaching, to create online communities for collegiate level studies. Within these communities, students from around the world will attend lectures, cover readings, share resources, and discuss assigned questions. A community of full-time and volunteer educators, selected from a pool of active and retired professors, master level students and other professionals, will participate in and oversee the assessment process, as well as develop the curriculum and ongoing procedures for evaluation.

UoPeople will also leverage technology to create an ultra-lean and streamlined system for administrative and academic processes. High-level automation across all components, including admission, course scheduling and evaluation methods, will be key in managing quality and cost-control under the rapid expansion of UoPeople.

Prospective students must meet the following prerequisites to gain admission to UoPeople:
– Twelve years of schooling from a recognized institution, as evidenced by a secondary school diploma or its equivalent;
– Demonstrated proficiency in reading and writing English. Prospective students whose native language is English or who graduated from a secondary school where the language of instruction is English meet this requirement;
– Prospective students whose native language is not English or who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principle language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 500 on the paper-based TOEFL or 61 on the iBT or its equivalent;
– Access to a computer and Internet connection.

All application materials will be carefully reviewed to ensure prospective students have the basic skills required to successfully complete their chosen program. Those who meet the above requirements will be invited to take classes in English Composition and Computer Skills. Upon passing these two mandatory classes, students will be formally accepted into one of UoPeople’s programs: Business Administration or Computer Science.

In the initial stages, students may attend UoPeople free of charge. As UoPeople expands, the non-profit organization plans to charge nominal application and examination fees ($15-$50 and $10-$100 respectively) to cover operating expenses. These fees will be adjusted on a sliding scale based on the economic situation in the student’s country of origin. Students will not be charged to take classes, and all readings, textbooks and other study materials will be available for free online.

UoPeople plans to enroll 300 students in the first semester, with a growth-rate of 30 percent every semester thereafter. Each academic year consists of three semesters.

HARVARD WELCOMES SHAI RESHEF

April 8 ,2010

Cambridge, Mass. (April 8, 2010)—As part of its Berkman Luncheon Series, Harvard University welcomes Shai Reshef, Founder and President of University of the People (UoPeople – www.UoPeople.edu) for a discussion on digital education. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 13 at 12:30pm.

Reshef’s session, Educating the Many, Not the Few: A Digital Model for Change, will address barriers and bridges to education, the impact of the Internet on learning platforms, UoPeople and the challenges faced implementing this model. How are students of different cultures able to teach each other? How can a tuition-free university be effective? What is the impact of the freedom of information over the Internet? What do UoPeople and similar education models mean for traditional brick & mortar universities?

“It is imperative that we embrace technologies to create a higher education system that is accessible to all,” said Reshef. “I am honored to share the UoPeople story with such a prestigious institution.”

Reshef is tackling the education system that has failed millions. In response to the global need for democratized education, Reshef founded UoPeople, the world’s first tuition-free online university, to provide quality, accessible higher education to qualified applicants who have the desire to learn but lack the resources. Harnessing the free exchange of information online and multiple pedagogical models, including open educational resources and eLearning, UoPeople demonstrates that, if governments invested just a fraction of their collective education budgets, the whole world could go to university.

The Berkman Center Luncheon Series is a weekly series of informal luncheons and other meetings, providing students, fellows, faculty, and anyone who reserves a seat opportunities to discuss issues relevant to their work and to engage other leading thinkers and practitioners. Those wishing to attend may RSVP to [email protected] Additionally, a live webcast of the event is available at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast.

For more information please visit, http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2010/04/reshef or www.UoPeople.edu.

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About Shai Reshef
Shai Reshef is the Founder & President of University of the People, the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution, which he established following 20 years in the international education market. From 1989 to 2005, Reshef served as Chairman of the Kidum Group, the largest for-profit educational services company based in Israel which was sold to Kaplan, Inc. in 2005. Between 2001 and 2004, while continuing as the Chairman of Kidum, Reshef lived in the Netherlands where he chaired KIT eLearning, a subsidiary of Kidum, the eLearning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the United States. In 2009, Reshef was named one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” selected by OneWorld as one of its “People of 2009, ” was awarded a fellowship by Ashoka and joined the United Nations’ Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development as a High-level Adviser. He has spoken internationally at conferences including DLD: Digital, Life, Design in Munich, the World Economic Forum on the Middle East in Jordan, UNDESA-GAID Global Forum in Monterrey, Mexico and delivered the keynote address at Google’s ThinkEducation Conference in New York. Reshef holds a B.A., magna cum laude, from Tel Aviv University and an M.A. from the University of Michigan in Chinese Politics.

April 7 ,2009

New York, NY – The United Nations’ Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID) has invited Shai Reshef, educational entrepreneur and founder & president of University of the People, to its High-level Panel of Advisers. Reshef joins a group of distinguished policymakers, practitioners and experts recognized in their respective fields who contribute to and support the mission and objectives of GAID to provide a platform for open and inclusive policy dialogue on the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in development.

“GAID is proud to welcome Mr. Reshef in its High-level Panel of Advisers. University of the People can be a significant contribution towards the contribution of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals,” stated Mr. Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of GAID. “UoPeople innovatively takes advantage of the increasing availability of affordable and accessible information technologies to lower barriers to entry and democratize access to top-quality education for thousands in developing countries. I am happy to welcome such a worthwhile venture and wish it every success.”

In the current year, GAID is focusing activities on the areas of access, connectivity, content and education—objectives which precisely align with Reshef’s contributions to the international education market over the past twenty years and, in particular, his new visionary initiative University of the People. With classes commencing in September 2009, UoPeople is the world’s first tuition-free online university and a non-profit institution. Reshef developed this unique pedagogical model to bring high-quality education to the most remote places on earth through the use of technology, namely open-source technology and courseware. Supported by respected academics, UoPeople will embrace peer-to-peer teaching within online study communities, allowing anyone with internet access and the willingness to learn the opportunity to attend university and earn a degree.

“I am honored to be part of an internationally recognized organization that shares a universal belief that technology can transform education and in turn better our global community,” said Reshef. “GAID has made significant headway in harnessing the power of ICT. I look forward to contributing to the Alliance and taking a step closer to providing education to anyone who is interested in learning.”

Reshef will speak at the Alliance’s Global Forum: ICT and Innovation for Education, taking place June 10-12 in Monterrey, Mexico. The Forum brings together an international, high level group of stakeholders and it is intended to foster conversation on educational strategies, policies and programs as they relate to ICT.

About the Global Alliance for ICT and Development

Working under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, GAID was approved by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2006 in recognition that ICT must be effectively integrated into development activities if internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, are to be achieved within the agreed time frame. Now in its fourth year, GAID continues to address core issues related to the role of ICT in economic development and eradication of poverty, employment and enterprise in pro-poor growth scenarios, with particular focus on health, education, gender, youth, disabled and disadvantaged segments of society.

About Shai Reshef

Shai Reshef is the Founder & President of the University of the People and currently serves as the Chairman of Cramster.com, an online global study community helping hundreds of thousands of students with their homework. Formerly, Reshef served as Chairman of the Kidum Group, the largest for-profit educational services company in Israel which he sold to Kaplan in 2005. Between 2001 and 2004, Reshef chaired KIT eLearning, a subsidiary of Kidum, the eLearning partner of the University of Liverpool and the first online university outside of the U.S. Reshef holds a BA, magna cum laude, from Tel Aviv University and an MA in Chinese Politics from the University of Michigan

BLACKBOARDS WITHOUT BORDERS

January 26 ,2009

Pasadena, CA – Millions of people never have the chance to attend college because of economic and geographic constraints. With the help of technology and a visionary educator, this is about to change. In April 2009, entrepreneur Shai Reshef is opening the virtual gates to the world’s first tuition-free, internet-based academic institution. As a non-profit venture, the University of the People promises to revolutionize higher education by providing universal access to college studies—even in the poorest parts of the world.

“Education, just like democracy, should be a right, not a privilege,” said Shai Reshef, Founder and President, University of the People. “With a few keystrokes, UoPeople takes the concept of social networking and applies it to academia, providing a global chalkboard for all students.” Reshef credits open-source technology and increasing access to the Internet in making higher education available to people all over the world.

Long distance learning is a growing trend in the U.S. According to a survey by the Sloan Consortium, approximately 4 million students are enrolled in online education. As a tuition-free service, UoPeople will take the concept of eLearning to an unprecedentedly broader – worldwide – audience.

UoPeople will be able to effectively function on a limited budget without sacrificing quality of education by using collaborative and open-source eLearning. UoPeople will embrace peer-to-peer teaching to make the best use of a student body from around the world. Within online study communities, students will share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments and take exams. The curriculum will be supported by respected scholars. A community of educators comprised of active and retired professors, librarians, master level students and other professionals will participate and oversee the assessment process. They will also develop ongoing procedures for curriculum evaluation and development.

In lieu of tuition, UoPeople plans to charge nominal application and examination fees ($15-$50 and $10-$100 respectively), which may be adjusted on a sliding scale based on the economic situation in the student’s country of origin.

UoPeople will be open to any student with access to a computer and Internet connection, who can submit a certificate of graduation from secondary school and demonstrate proficiency in English (or pass two preliminary English courses at UoPeople).

UoPeople anticipates tens of thousands of students to enroll within the first five years of operation. Although the University will cap enrollment at 300 students in the first semester, the peer-to-peer pedagogical model will encourage rapid expansion of the student body in following years.
Parlaying a successful career in education and worldwide travel, Reshef discovered one issue that unites countries, cities and states around the globe – a need for improved education. His pioneering initiative fulfills a personal desire to give back to society and develop the world through knowledge and academics.

“The University of the People represents a huge leap in the democratization of education by reaching those who until now viewed college as a pipedream,” added Reshef. “Education is a proven mechanism for upward mobility. Our goal is to positively impact the life chances of as many people as possible.”

In the initial stages, UoPeople will offer two undergraduate degrees: a BA in Business Administration and a BSc in Computer Science. Fulltime students will be able to complete the undergraduate degree in approximately four years. All students will be eligible for an associate degree after two years. UoPeople intends to apply for accreditation from recognized authorities as soon as the waiting process for eligibility is met.