Shai Reshef (Wikipedia)
Israeli Shai Reshef has been awarded the 2023 Yidan Prize for Education Research, an honor given to people who have made a mark in the world of education that some liken to the Nobel Prize. Yidan Prize said it gave Reshef the award in recognition of his “innovative solutions which help learners reach their full potential, by advancing the quality of teaching and learning and breaking down barriers to higher education globally.”
Reshef shares the prize this year with Arizona State University Professor Michelene Chi. The two will join the Yidan Prize Foundation’s global community of education experts. They will each receive a gold medal and HK$30 million (approximately US$3.8 million), half of which is an unrestricted project fund to support the scaling of their work.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2023 Yidan Prize laureates. By recognizing innovative and transformative research and practices—those that unlock opportunities for learners—we can help create a better world through education,” said Dr. Charles CHEN Yidan, Founder of the Yidan Prize.
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“The global challenge of access to higher education means that its life-changing impact in terms of opening minds, improving employment and earnings remain out of reach for many. Shai’s model reimagines higher education, opening the doors for those who have previously been excluded,” said Dorothy K. Gordon, head of the Yidan Prize for Education Development judging panel and Board Member of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.
Shai Reshef plans to use the Yidan Prize project funds to continue to grow the University of the People and support more students and populations, providing a comprehensive solution to issues of accessibility and affordability in higher education.
Shai Reshef is the President of the University of the People (UoPeople) — the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited online university, dedicated to opening access to higher education. Grounded in the belief that knowledge is a key ingredient of world peace, UoPeople provides access to collegiate-level studies to qualified individuals regardless of geographic, financial, or societal constraints.
UoPeople was founded in 2009 by Shai Reshef with the mission of making education accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation or location.
UoPeople offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in a variety of fields, including business administration, computer science, education, health science, and information technology. The university’s programs are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
UoPeople is a 100% online university, so students can study from anywhere in the world at their own pace. Classes are taught by experienced instructors from top universities around the world. Students have access to a variety of academic resources, including online libraries, discussion forums, and tutoring services.
UoPeople is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The university’s tuition-free model makes it possible for students from all walks of life to pursue higher education.
An educational entrepreneur, Shai Reshef has over 30 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.
Reshef has been widely recognized for his work with UoPeople, including being named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business; awarded an honorary doctorate from the Open University; selected by OneWorld as one of its ‘People of 2009’; awarded an Ashoka fellowship; 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. In September 2023, President Reshef was awarded the Yidan Prize for Education Development, the highest accolade in education.
