Hong Kong, China, and Baltimore, Maryland — December 3, 2008 - Laureate Education announced it has launched an international scholarship initiative named in honor of Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education during the Clinton Administration, and a champion of making higher education accessible to those in need. The announcement was made by former President Bill Clinton and Douglas L. Becker, chief executive officer of Laureate Education at the Clinton Global Initiative Asia meeting in Hong Kong. Laureate will award 1,000 Richard W. Riley scholarships to deserving teachers around the world to help them earn an advanced degree in education, business or information technology.
December 3, 2008 - Clinton Global Initiative Asia Meeting - Hong Kong, China: President Bill Clinton and Douglas L. Becker , CEO of Laureate Education, announce Laureates Commitment to Action initiative, providing 1,000 scholarships to deserving teachers worldwide to help them earn an advanced degree in education, business or IT. The scholarships are named in honor of Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education during the Clinton Administration, a champion of making higher education accessible to those in need.
"These scholarships are named in honor of Richard W. Riley for his global contributions to the field of education and to Laureate," said Mr. Becker. "Our global network of universities will grant more than 1,000 scholarships to teachers around the world because we know that teachers have a tremendous impact on the lives of students and families and the positive development of society. Providing highly deserving teachers with advanced education empowers them to effect positive change and to make their communities stronger."
Richard W. Riley served as United States Secretary of Education from 1993 to 2001. He previously served two terms as governor of the state of South Carolina. Recently, Mr. Riley was named one of the 20th century's "Ten Best Cabinet Members" by Time Magazine. During his tenure as Secretary of Education, Mr. Riley spearheaded initiatives to improve academic standards and expand college grants and loans programs. In 2008, Walden University, a member of the Laureate International Universities network, named its College of Education after Richard W. Riley. The Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University is one of the largest and most prominent teacher education institutions in the United States.
"I am pleased and honored to be a part of such a significant effort to recognize and support teachers throughout the world," said Secretary Riley. "I am very proud of the work being done by Laureate to strengthen society through education."
Laureate Education is a sponsor of the CGI Asia meeting, a nonpartisan initiative led by President Clinton to foster innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. The company is the sponsor of the CGI Asia education track; education is one of three areas of focus during the meeting, along with energy and climate change and public health.
Laureate Education will award the scholarships as part of a broad initiative to further educational opportunities throughout Laureate International Universities, a network of 42 institutions of higher education in 20 countries serving nearly 500,000 students. The scholarships are primarily focused at the master's degree level, but will also be awarded to some undergraduate degree students. Each participating university will be supported in this initiative by the Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University.
President Clinton announced Laureate's Commitment to Action initiative before the CGI community, which included world leaders from government, business, and the nonprofit sector such as Lee Kuan Yew, minister mentor and former prime minister of the Republic of Singapore; Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president of the Republic of the Philippines; and Yuriko Koike, member of the House of Representatives of Japan.
About Laureate International Universities
Laureate International Universities is a global network of 42 accredited campus-based and online universities offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to nearly 500,000 students around the world. Laureate International Universities students are part of an international, academic community that spans 20 countries and more than 100 campuses throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Laureate International Universities offer more than 130 career-focused, undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs in fields including engineering, education, business, medicine, law, architecture, health sciences, hospitality, culinary arts, and information technology. For more information, visit http://www.laureate-inc.com.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 as a project of the nonpartisan William J. Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI members have made over 1,200 commitments valued at $46 billion. Already these commitments have impacted more than 200 million lives in 150 countries, and commitments made at the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to impact almost 160 million. For more information, contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org.