Shai Reshef

Shai Reshef is an Israeli entrepreneur and academic administrator. He is the founder and president of the University of the People.

Early life and education

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

Career

Between 2001 and 2004, Reshef chaired KIT eLearning, a company that partnered with the University of Liverpool to deliver online education.
In January 2009, Reshef founded the University of the People, a non-profit, tuition-free, online university aimed at providing accessible higher education to underserved populations globally.

Awards and recognition

He received the Yidan Prize for Education Development in 2023. In 2009, Fast Company included him among the "100 Most Creative People in Business." Wired magazine featured him in its 2012 list of "50 People Changing the World."

Personal life

Reshef is married to artist Rotem Reshef and has four children.