How Shai Reshef Is Empowering Refugees and Underserved Students with Free College Education | E96

Leap Academy with Ilana Golan

Growing up, Shai Reshef wasn’t the most enthusiastic student, but after earning a master’s degree in Chinese politics, he discovered the transformative power of education. Inspired by a UNESCO report predicting the future lack of access to higher education, Shai decided to act. He sold two businesses, leveraged open-source technology, and partnered with volunteer professors to create University of the People, the world’s first tuition-free, accredited online university. In this episode, Shai joins Ilana to share how the university is empowering over 150,000 students from marginalized communities and offers valuable advice for those seeking to make a meaningful impact.

Shai Reshef is the founder and president of University of the People, a nonprofit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to providing accessible higher education to underserved populations across 206 countries.

In this episode, Ilana and Shai will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:52) The Power of Education in Nation-Building

(04:41) Founding the First Online University in Europe

(09:08) Creating a Global, Tuition-Free University

(16:05) Overcoming Accreditation Challenges

(19:34) The Global Impact of the University of the People

(26:41) Building a Sustainable Model for Free Education

(30:59) How University of the People Screens Students

(34:18) Keys to Launching a Meaningful Project

(38:18) Balancing Leadership Stress with Team Dynamics

(40:33) Success Stories from University of the People

(43:41) The Power of Philanthropy and Nonprofits

Shai Reshef is the founder and president of University of the People, a nonprofit, tuition-free, accredited online university dedicated to providing accessible higher education to underserved populations across 206 countries. Previously, he led Kidum Group, Israel’s largest for-profit educational services company, and chaired KIT eLearning, the first online university in Europe. Recognized for his impact on education, Shai also serves as an adviser to the UN’s Global Alliance for ICT and Development.

Connect with Shai:

Shai’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shaireshef

Resources Mentioned:

University of the People’s Website: www.uopeople.edu

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