Latest news with #Tsinghua
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
How much should a Tsinghua university graduate be making?
As China's talent pool broadens and society becomes more diverse, that linkage is being shaken. A Tsinghua diploma is no longer so special, says the writer. It's post-graduation season in China. Tiger Moms are naturally comparing notes on the salaries of fresh alumni from top universities. What kind of return might they expect, after spending years – and sometimes a fortune – demanding academic excellence from their offspring? A doctor friend told me recently that her son got a job at Huawei Technologies, considered one of the most prestigious employers in China. The young man studied computer science at Tsinghua University and then Brown University in the US. Huawei is starting him at 400,000 yuan (US$55,689) a year, the parent beamed.
RTHK
10-07-2025
- Sport
- RTHK
Weiqi tournament kicks off in HK
Weiqi tournament kicks off in HK The three-day Weiqi competition is being held at the University of Science and Technology. Photo: RTHK A Weiqi competition amongst university students began in Hong Kong on Thursday, as 14 teams from Asia compete for the title. It is the third edition of the Hong Kong International University Student Weiqi Competition. New entrants to the board game tournament include students from Tsinghua and Peking Universities. The three-day event, hosted by the Hong Kong Greater Bay Area Weiqi Promotion Association, is being held at the University of Science Technology. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang, who attended the opening ceremony, said he is glad to see that Weiqi is being promoted because it is part of traditional Chinese culture. He added that Hong Kong residents have shown increasing enthusiasm for the game in recent years. The organiser said the event is meant to promote the board game in the SAR, whilst encouraging exchanges between Weiqi players from around the world. Weiqi was a sport at the Hangzhou Asian Games held two years ago.
Business Insider
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I'm an American who moved to China. After 7 years, I run a profitable startup and make friends through badminton.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Joshua Charles Woodard, 29, cofounder of The Sparrows, a manufacturing consultancy based in Shenzhen. I've always liked building real, physical products. When I was 8, I took pottery classes and made small sculptures of superheroes. When I was 14, I learned that a Hong Kong company had bought a significant stake in Legendary Entertainment, the studio behind "Inception" — a favorite movie at the time. It sparked my curiosity about China. Both influenced my studies at MIT, where I majored in mechanical engineering and minored in Mandarin. I thought being fluent in Chinese and able to build products could be a killer combination. Rethinking China, firsthand In the middle of my third year at MIT, one of my professors invited me to Shanghai for a two-week Peking opera program. There, I learned the physical movements and enough Mandarin to perform. I expected a poor, communist country, but instead, I found one of the most capitalist and consumerist places on earth. I kept thinking: What policies built this infrastructure? In 2018, during my final year at MIT, I was accepted into the Schwarzman Scholars program — a fully funded, one-year master's in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. A few months after graduation, I moved to China and have continued living here for the past seven years. From MIT to Tsinghua My time at Tsinghua was different from my experience at MIT. I had fewer hours of class and more opportunities to hear from special speakers — including John Kerry. One day, I visited Xiongan, an experimental city near Beijing, where I surveyed development projects and met with government officials. That year, I gained a foundation in how China works, from governance to history, and a master's degree. After graduation, I moved to Shenzhen — about 1,200 miles south of Beijing — to join a small product design firm as a project manager and mechanical engineer. Ninety percent of the engineering team only spoke Chinese, so I had to learn Mandarin in an engineering capacity. I met up with a Mandarin teacher once or twice a week. I carried a notebook for industry-specific words, like "screw," "injection," and "molding." Then in 2021, after nine interviews, I joined Apple's camera R&D team as an engineering program manager. I worked there for close to four years. But I knew that there, reaching leadership would take another 10 to 15 years. That would have been fine if I wanted to live in Shenzhen forever, but if I were risk-averse, I'd have gone to Silicon Valley. Instead, I developed a unique skill set by staying here. Adjusting to life in China I grew up in a working-class Chicago neighborhood — my mom's a nurse, my dad's a laborer. Back home, long stares could mean danger. In China, they usually mean curiosity. I had to adjust. Once, on the Communist Party's birthday in 2019, a drunk man demanded my passport and accused me of stealing jobs. Police escorted him away. Now, Shenzhen feels like a second home. Life is more comfortable, my money goes further, and I've built a solid network. I have my network. I play badminton. It's what all young people here do and a great way to make friends. Doing my own thing This year, Susan Su — a Chinese American MIT grad — and I started The Sparrows, a manufacturing consultancy. We realized that some companies need help managing production and factories but can't afford a full China-based team. Our goal was to fill that gap. We don't do engineering but handle everything else. We're a team of four: the two of us plus a supply chain expert and a lawyer. In the US, you sign a contract, and it's done. In China, it's about trust and relationships — with the factory and its managers — driving production and efficiency. There's a local phrase, shuangying, meaning "double win." It's about building genuine relationships with vendors, growing together as partners. We were in the black from day one. I pay myself $2,500 a month from profits. I split a 969-square-foot apartment with a friend, and we each pay $600 a month. Trade policy, meet real life Tariffs do affect my work at Sparrows. It feels like America is trying to be God now. But iPhones, medical consumables, and products for Google, Amazon, and Sam's Club are still made in China. Unless someone figures out how to move 40 years of supply chain development — the human resources, skilled workforce — and address the fact that most immigrants to Shenzhen are willing to work 60- or 70-hour weeks to send money back home, this is all noise. There are legal tariff workarounds. We're talking to a partner in Colombia to split production. Once the company can run more independently, I'd like to be closer to family and drive US business development. At first, my parents thought leaving Chicago for MIT was far. Moving to China was even harder for them. But as long as I call often, we've found our rhythm and stay connected.
Daily Tribune
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Arab Students Access China's MIT
TDT | Manama Six students from Arab League nations have been awarded places at China's top-ranked Tsinghua University through a landmark new scholarship programme, marking the first time the prestigious institution has offered a dedicated scholarship exclusively for Arab students. The Hazem Ben- Gacem Arab Scholars Program, officially launched at a ceremony in Beijing on Monday, will support up to 15 students each year over the next five years for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Tsinghua, widely regarded as the 'MIT of China,' is known for its elite engineering and technology programmes and its alumni include many of China's current leaders. Historic initiative The scholarship was launched in the presence of diplomats and senior officials, including Bahrain's Ambassador to China, H.E. Dr Mohamed Shaikho and Professor Yang Bin, Vice Chancellor of the Tsinghua University Council. Organisers say the initiative aims to promote academic excellence, build cross-cultural ties, and enhance the strategic relationship between China and the Arab world. 'This programme reflects more than just academic support,' said Hazem Ben-Gacem, the founder of the scholarship and Chief Executive of BlueFive Capital. 'For more than a thousand years, the Arab region and China have been bound by a vibrant exchange of goods, knowledge, and cultural dialogue. We aim to cultivate leaders who will carry forward this agelong spirit of curiosity and collaboration.' Ben-Gacem, who formerly served as co-CEO of Investcorp, has previously established scholarships at Harvard, Oxford, and other top global institutions. His latest effort is seen as part of a growing trend of Arab investment in education diplomacy and global talent development. Shared values Tsinghua University officials described the programme as a milestone in the institution's global engagement. 'This initiative not only motivates recipients to pursue academic excellence but also strengthens the friendship between Tsinghua and the Arab world,' said Professor Yang. 'It embodies the shared values of openness, inclusiveness, mutual respect, and the pursuit of common progress.' Established in 1911, Tsinghua has 20 colleges and 90 undergraduate programmes.
Zawya
01-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
First Arab scholarship launched to support students at Tsinghua University in China
The Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program will support up to 15 students every year for five years through Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes at Tsinghua University in China. The Scholar's Program is available to students from Arab League countries. The scholarship strengthens ties between the Arab States and China, giving students access to one of the most prestigious universities in China. Distinguished ambassadors, dignitaries, and academic leaders gathered on Thursday, 26 th June, at Tsinghua University in China ( to mark the official launch of the Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program, a landmark initiative to empower students from Arab League countries through world-class education while fostering academic excellence and cross-cultural collaboration. This year, the Scholars Program will support six students from Arab League nations who are pursuing postgraduate courses at the historic university. This program is understood to be the first scholarship established at Tsinghua University specifically for students from Arab nations and aims to strengthen Sino-Arab relations. Tsinghua University is a top-ranked Chinese university with a strong reputation in technology and engineering, often compared to MIT. Established in 1911, Tsinghua University has 20 colleges and 90 undergraduate programs, enabling it to offer a wide array of academic disciplines. Tsinghua alumni have made significant contributions to the economic, cultural, and technological development of China and also represent many of the nation's political elite. Hazem Ben-Gacem, Founder and Chief Executive of BlueFive Capital, said: ' For more than a thousand years, the Arab region and China have been bound by a vibrant exchange of goods, knowledge, and cultural dialogue. By enabling exceptional Arab students to study at Tsinghua, China's pinnacle of academic excellence, we aim to develop leaders who will carry forward this agelong spirit of curiosity and collaboration, ensuring that the Arab-China relationship evolves as a beacon of cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world.' Professor Yang Bin, Vice Chancellor of Tsinghua University Council, expressed the university's sincere gratitude for Mr. Hazem Ben-Gacem's generous donation. He noted that in recent years, Tsinghua has implemented a series of strategic initiatives to enhance its global impact, with particular emphasis on deepening engagement and cooperation with Arab League member states, which has significantly advanced cultural exchanges between both sides. The newly established Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program, funded by Mr. Hazem Ben-Gacem's donation, will support six incoming full-time master's students from Arab League countries. Professor Yang emphasized that this initiative will not only motivate recipients to pursue academic excellence but also serve as an important milestone in strengthening the friendship between Tsinghua and the Arab world. It vividly embodies the shared values of openness, inclusiveness, mutual respect, and the pursuit of common progress across cultures and borders. The Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program will begin this academic year (2025-2026). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Tsinghua University Education Foundation (TUEF). Hashtags: #Education #Scholarship #ArabScholarsProgram #Philantropy #TUEF About Hazem Ben-Gacem: Hazem Ben-Gacem is the Founder and Chief Executive of BlueFive Capital. Until September 2024, he was co-Chief Executive Officer at Investcorp, the Middle East's largest non-sovereign private equity firm, chairing most of its private equity and infrastructure investment committees and overseeing all Investcorp's activities in the Middle East, South East Asia, Japan, and China. Prior to that, Hazem led Investcorp's European private equity and its global technology investment businesses. During his 30-year tenure, Hazem directly led over 40 private equity investments across most world regions. Hazem began his career in New York as a member of the M&A team at Credit Suisse First Boston. Hazem has previously been a donor for different scholarship programs with Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Kennedy School, and Oxford University. Hazem serves on the Executive Boards of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and St Anthony's College at Oxford University, and the Dean's Council of the Harvard Medical School. In 2017, he founded the Harvard Office in Tunisia, the first formal presence for Harvard in the Arab world. For more information, please visit About Tsinghua University Education Foundation (TUEF): Founded in 1994, it is the first university education foundation established in China following the reform and opening up of China. The objective of TUEF is to foster the development of education in China, improve educational quality and academic research, advocate the culture and vision of Tsinghua University, and strive for philanthropic support from domestic and international organizations and individuals. TUEF actively raises social resources, constantly optimizes project management, and steadily promotes the preservation and appreciation of value in efforts to help Tsinghua University move towards the goal of becoming a globally leading university. TUEF fully leverages the advantages of scientific and technological talents in Tsinghua University, supports public welfare services, and boosts social progress and human welfare through the development of education. For more information, please visit
