BP becomes Cornerstone Partner of the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University, Beijing

Deepens BP’s long-standing relationship with Tsinghua University

BP announced today that it has agreed with Tsinghua University, Beijing, to become a Cornerstone Partner of the new Schwarzman Scholars Program at the University, which was announced today. 

BP will make an endowment of US $25 million to Tsinghua University for the benefit of the Program. More information on the Program can be seen at: http://schwarzmanscholars.org

BP is very pleased to be a Cornerstone Partner of the Schwarzman Scholars Program. Enhancing understanding between China and the World through the development of Chinese and international talent at Tsinghua University will be invaluable over time to all international institutions with Chinese interests, and therefore also to BP. BP’s involvement also deepens its long-standing collaboration with Tsinghua University

Iain Conn, Managing Director of BP plc, said: "BP is honoured to be supporting the Schwarzman Scholars Program, and in doing so deepen our commitment to China's future through the advancement of education and international relationships. Together we hope to build a unique platform for future leaders to gain real-life global experiences and have interaction with political, business and thought leaders, with the vision of fostering greater understanding and more meaningful dialogue between China and the world. Through our involvement, BP will assist in advising the School, support 14 BP Fellows each year as part of the programme, and engage with successive cadres of Scholars." 

Iain Conn will also be a member of the Program’s Advisory Board. 

Liming Chen, President, BP China commented: “I am very pleased to see BP’s relationship with Tsinghua University enhanced and deepened through BP’s involvement in this great new initiative. As one of the leading foreign investors in China, BP has been committed to the market since the 1970s, materially growing our business over that time and building mutually-beneficial relationships with Chinese partners. BP's contributions, not only in the field of tertiary education, but also in broader areas of social responsibilities, demonstrate our commitment to the long-term partnership with China.”

Further information:

Contacts

BP press office, London: +44 (0)20 7496 4076, bppress@bp.com

BP China press ofice, +86 10 6589 3878, bpchinapress@bp.com

Christine Anderson, (o) +1 646-313-6500, (m) +1 917-697-8795, pressroom@schwarzmanscholars.org

Notes to editors:

Schwarzman Scholars Program

The Schwarzman Scholars Program will support 200 students every year for a one-year Master’s program at Tsinghua University under the direction of David Daokui Li, a Tsinghua professor and current Director of Center for China in the World Economy in Tsinghua University. Students will come predominantly from the U.S., but also from Europe, South Korea, Japan, India and other parts of the world. Students will live on Tsinghua campus for a year of study and cultural immersion, attending lectures by heads of state, traveling throughout China, and developing a true understanding of China.

The first class of students is slated for 2016, upon the completion of Schwarzman College, a residential building designed specifically for the program. Robert A.M. Stern, Dean of Yale’s School of Architecture, designed the building, which is based on the residential colleges at Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge. The admissions season will open in 2015. 

The Schwarzman Scholars Program has a world-class Advisory Board whose members have unparalleled insight and experience in international policy and diplomatic challenges. Iain Conn, Managing Director of BP plc, is one of the Advisory Board members. 

Further information on the Schwarzman Scholars Program: http://schwarzmanscholars.org

BP’s relationship with Tsinghua University

BP’s strategic relationship with Tsinghua University began in 2002 when BP held its executive education program at Tsinghua to enable BP Group Vice Presidents to gain insights into China from economic, political, historical and cultural perspectives. Over the following years, the partnership between BP and Tsinghua has expanded and deepened to cover a wide range of areas – including establishments of Tsinghua BP Clean Energy Research and Education Center, Center for China in the World Economy, many research projects including Sustainable Urban Mobility Project, as well as capacity building at Tsinghua’s business school, student scholarships and student recruitment