Specialized in providing education beyond university, bringing together young elites and enriching their lives, Hillhouse Academy, a nonprofit research institute at Renmin University of China (RUC), funded by Mr. Lei Zhang, Chinese investor and entrepreneur of Hillhouse Capital Management Group. Established in 2011, the Academy hosts highly selective fellowship programs to identify high-achieving students from prestigious universities in China, with a goal of preparing a young generation of leaders with global perspectives, civic commitment, demonstrated entrepreneurship, as well as supreme executive capabilities. Meanwhile, Hillhouse Academy concerns education fairness and equity with helping indigent potential youths to achieve their goals. It has become a worldwide famous institute and platform for fostering young leaders. Since its inauguration, Hillhouse Academy has been greatly supported by a group of distinguished leaders in politics, business, education, and civil society, etc.
On April 23, 2011, Hillhouse Academy was established under the sponsor and support of former President of RUC Yulu Chen, former Yale University President Richard Levin, and Chairman of Hillhouse Capital Lei Zhang. More than 60 distinguished leaders figures in politics and business attended the inauguration, including Co-Chairman of Brookings Institution John Thornton, Chairman of Baidu.com, Inc. Yanhong Li, Chairman of JD.com, Inc. Qiangdong Liu, CEO and Chairman of the Wahaha Group Qinghou Zong, President of Pacific Century Cyber Works (PCCW, Ltd.) Zekai Li, Chairman of Bank of China Guoli Tian, Vice President of China Investment Corporation (CIC) Ping Xie and Yifei Fan, CEO of CITIC Private Equity Funds Management Lefei Liu.
Since its establishment, Hillhouse Academy has committed to the doctrine of practice, innovation, and liberal studies. It has invited a group of outstanding leaders in politics, finance, business, and academia as advisors, mentors and guest speakers to share their valuable and enlightening experiences. Among which are American Nobel laureate and economist Robert Shiller,
former Yale President Richard Levin, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Chee-hwa Tung, Vice President of CIC Ping Xie, Chairman of HOPU Investment Management Co., Ltd. and Goldman Sachs-Gaohua Securities Co., Ltd. Fenglei Fang, Chairman of Baidu.com, Inc. Yanhong Li, Chairman of JD.com, Inc. Qiangdong Liu, former CEO of the NYSE Euronext Duncan Niederauer, Chairman of Taikang Life Insurance Co., Ltd. Dongsheng Chen, and founder of Qunar.com, Inc. Chenchao Zhuang.
Adhering to “Value, Vision, innovation, and Practice”, Hillhouse Academy aims at a world-class independent think tank. As economic globalization deepens and China’s development accelerates in 21st century, the think tank has brought together distinguished experts from home and abroad to conducted fruitful research on major issues encountered in the course of China’s development.
In the future, Hillhouse Academy is expected to evolve into an international think tank with Chinese characteristics to nurture talented leaders, in an attempt to introduce world-class management education, foster genuine entrepreneurship and global leadership and exert impact on high-level decision making, by which accelerates the globalization and modernization of China.