The project raised $300 million as a permanent operating fund. Su Shimin, the largest donor and founder of Blackstone Group in the United States, said that when Cecil Rhodes founded the Rhodes Scholarship Program to promote international understanding in 1902, the center of gravity of the world economy was in Europe. There is no doubt that a close relationship with China is crucial in this century. With the help of world-class resources and the most prestigious universities in China, I hope the students in this program will have the power to influence the world in the future.
Chen Jining, president of Tsinghua University, said that the project will select the best teachers in the world, optimize the way of talent training, advocate flat and experiential learning, and provide lifelong social networks for students. The school will build a brand-new "Su Shimin College" in the school center, create good learning conditions for students, and strive to accumulate experience for deepening China's higher education reform.
Li Daokui, director of the program, said that the program has brand-new standards in enrollment, training and scholarships, which can be compared with Rhodes and Gates, and will become one of the most influential leadership education programs in the world. The project will complete the first phase of student selection in 20 15, and it is expected to enroll in the fall semester of 20 16.