Beijing and New York, May 12,2014
Schwarzman Scholars, the elite international scholarship program based at Tsinghua University, is pleased to announce that it has partnered with the Institute of International Education (IIE), a leading international education and training organization, which administers the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright program and other prestigious scholarship programs around the world. Leveraging more than nine decades of experience overseeing leading scholarship programs, IIE will partner with the Schwarzman Scholars team to develop and implement an international application process as well as recruitment and selection practices for the elite program, which is modeled on the Rhodes Scholarship. Schwarzman Scholars was founded in 2013 with a very specific global mission to educate future world leaders about China and in so doing, contribute to stronger, more stable relations between nations. IIE will help Schwarzman Scholars accomplish that mission by supporting its efforts to attract the world’s most entrepreneurial, independent, critical-thinking future leaders who understand that in-depth, first-hand exposure to China is critically important in the 21st century.
Each year, 200 students from around the world will be named as Schwarzman Scholars. They will complete coursework for a one-year Master’s degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing, with stimulating academic curriculum crafted by some of the most talented academic leaders from around the world. In addition, the Scholars will gain unrivaled, immersive opportunities. These experiences are a significant component of the program and are designed to help the Scholars develop a better first-hand understand of the inner workings of China: its people, culture, economy and motivations.
IIE will provide administrative and on-the-ground support to connect the unique and highly selective program with potential future leaders around the world. They will coordinate outreach with universities and stakeholders, hold informational events, and conduct student interviews. IIE will work closely with the Schwarzman Scholars Academic Advisory Council, which is comprised of academic leaders from the world’s leading academic institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Duke, Stanford and Oxford, to ensure that student outreach and selection practices meet the highest international standards.
Campus activities will begin in earnest this fall, with IIE coordinating information sessions and working closely with university fellowship offices to continue building awareness among undergraduate audiences. The inaugural admissions season will open in the fall of 2015 and the first class of Scholars will enter Schwarzman College, the academic and residential building being constructed for the program, in June 2016. Admission will be open to high caliber students internationally, with 45% of the class of 200 scholars coming from the United States, 20% from China, and 35% from the rest of the world.
"Schwarzman Scholars will benefit substantially from our partnership with the Institute of International Education, which will serve as a resource of unparalleled expertise on student outreach and selection matters,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, the founding donor of Schwarzman Scholars. “We look forward to working with them in the years ahead to attract exceptional future leaders with the desire to join a global network that will strengthen relations between China and the rest of world in the coming decades.”
"On behalf of the entire team at IIE, we are pleased to partner with such an elite and visionary program as Schwarzman Scholars,” said Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education. “We look forward to establishing an outreach and selection program that will meet the needs of this ambitious and important program, which will make such a substantial contribution to furthering understanding between nations.”
Last week, Schwarzman Scholars marked its one year anniversary, reported significant progress on the program’s development, and hosted Honorary Advisory Board member Condoleezza Rice, who toured the future site of Schwarzman College on Tsinghua University’s campus. Offices have been opened in New York and Beijing, curriculum preparation, faculty and staff hiring are all well underway, and construction of Schwarzman College is on schedule to accept the first class of scholars in 2016.
About Schwarzman Scholars:
Schwarzman Scholars was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, which was founded in 1902 to promote international understanding and peace, and is designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. Blackstone Co-Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman personally contributed $100 million to the program and is leading a fundraising campaign to raise more from private sources to endow the program in perpetuity. The total endowment will support 200 scholars annually from the U.S., China and around the world for a one-year Master’s Degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China’s most prestigious universities and an indispensable base for the country’s scientific and technological research. Scholars chosen for this highly selective program will live in Beijing for a year of study and cultural immersion, attending lectures, traveling, and developing a better understanding of China. Admissions will open in the fall of 2015, with the first class of students in residence by the summer of 2016. Follow us on Sina Weibo at http://weibo.com/SchwarzmanScholars
About the Institute of International Education:
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations around the world. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad. Learn more at www.iie.org.
