Shai Reshef

Shai Reshef (Hebrew: שי רשף) is an American entrepreneur and academic administrator. He is the founder and president of the University of the People (UoPeople), the first American, non-profit, tuition-free, accredited online university.^[1]

Shai Reshef
שי רשף
Portrait of Shai Reshef
President of University of the People
Incumbent
Assumed office 2009 (2009)
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	(1955-09-11) September 11, 1955 (age 69)
Spouse	Rotem Reshef
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Michigan (MA)
Occupation	Entrepreneur, academic administrator

Reshef has focused his career on making higher education accessible to underserved populations globally, leveraging online platforms to provide affordable degree programs.^[2] In 2023, he received the Yidan Prize for Educational Development, known as the Nobel Prize of higher education.

Early life and education

Reshef was born on September 11, 1955.^[3] He earned an MA in Chinese politics from the University of Michigan.^[4]

Career

Between 2001 and 2004, Reshef chaired KIT eLearning, a company that partnered with the University of Liverpool to deliver online education. This partnership made the University of Liverpool the first institution outside of the United States to offer online degree programs.^[5][3]

University of the People

In January 2009, Reshef founded the University of the People (UoPeople), a non-profit, tuition-free, online university aimed at providing accessible higher education to underserved populations globally.^[2] The virtual institution leverages open-source technology and volunteer academic staff to significantly reduce the costs of higher education.^[6]

The university has partnerships with a number of major academic institutions, including Harvard Business School Online, NYU Abu Dhabi, McGill University, and the University of Edinburgh. UoPeople has been supported by foundations such as the Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation.^[7][8]

Awards and recognition

Reshef has been recognized for his contributions to education through the University of the People (UoPeople). He received the Yidan Prize for Education Development in 2023.^[9] In 2009, Fast Company included him among the "100 Most Creative People in Business."^[10] The following year, he was named the "Ultimate Game Changer in Education" by The Huffington Post in 2010.^[11] Wired magazine featured him in its 2012 list of "50 People Changing the World."^[12]

Public speaking and advocacy

Reshef is an advocate for accessible education and has spoken at international forums such as the Clinton Global Initiative, the World Economic Forum, TED, and Google's Higher Education Summit.^[13][14][15] In his public speeches, Reshef emphasizes that education is a fundamental human right and argues that it should be accessible to all, regardless of geographic or financial limitations.^[15][1]

Personal life

Reshef is married to artist Rotem Reshef and has four children.^[4]