Yidan Prize

Last updated
Yidan Prize
Yidan Prize Medals.jpg
Yidan Prize medals
Awarded forContributions to education research and development
CountryGlobal
ObverseA human figure and a pine tree growing from a mountain rock, with the words "Yidan Prize"
ReverseThe words "Education Research" or "Education Development", the winner's name and the year
First award2017 (2017)
Total16
Total recipients19
Website yidanprize.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Yidan Prize (/i:dan/) is an annual award founded in 2016 by Chen Yidan for "contributions to education research and development". The prize is financed and governed by a HK$ 2.5 billion (about US$320 million) independent trust. [1] [2] [3] [4] It is a global, inclusive education award which recognizes changemakers who inspire progress in education for a better world, and has been referred to as the largest education prize on Earth. [5]

Contents

Prizes

The first Yidan Prize Summit, in December 2017 Yidan Prize Summit 2017.jpg
The first Yidan Prize Summit, in December 2017

The Yidan Prizes consist of a gold medal designed by ink-brush artist Kan Tai-Keung  [ Wikidata ], [6] a cash prize of HK$ 15 million and a project fund of HK$15 million to each of the winners or winning teams, one for education research, the other for education development. It is supported by a US$320 million endowment. [7] Prizes are awarded at the annual Yidan Prize Awards Presentation Ceremony in conjunction with an education conference. [8]

Adjudication process

Nominations are open to everyone. They can be submitted by universities, government agencies, think tanks or educators. [9] The nominations are reviewed by the Yidan Prize Judging Committee, an independent body made up of two panels. Former Director-General of UNESCO, Kōichirō Matsuura, is the chairman of the Yidan Prize Judging Committee. Dorothy K. Gordon heads the Yidan Prize for Education Development judging panel, and Andreas Schleicher heads the Yidan Prize for Education Research judging panel. [8] [10] [11]

Judging criteria include being future-oriented, innovative, transformative, and sustainable. [12]

Laureates

Two awards are given each year, one for education research, the other for education development.

Education Research

Laureates for Education Research
YearLaureateImageNotes
2017 Carol S. Dweck Carol Dweck for Innovation documentary.jpg The award ceremony took place during December 2017 in Hong Kong. [2] [13] [14]
2018 Anant Agarwal Anant Agarwal in 2015 New America panel.jpg [15] [16] [8]
2019 Usha Goswami [17]
2020 Carl Wieman Carl Wieman in 2024 01.jpg American physicist, for his work in STEM education and for his research-based improvements to university teaching and the transformation of how science is taught in major universities. When awarded the prize, Wieman stated:

I am thrilled and honored to have the work of my research group recognized in this way. This prize will accelerate our efforts to improve education for students throughout the world.

2021 Eric A. Hanushek Eric Hanushek speaking at Using Evidence to Improve Education (cropped).png Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University
2022 Linda Darling-Hammond Lindahammond.gif [18]
2023 Michelene Chi [19]
2024 Wolfgang Lutz LUTZ Pressefoto 4.jpg [19]

Education Development

Laureates in Education Development
YearLaureateImageNotes
2017 Vicky Colbert SWF 2008 photo.jpg The award ceremony took place during December 2017 in Hong Kong. [2] [13] [14]
2018 Larry Hedges [8] [20] [21]
2019 Fazle Hasan Sir Fazle Hasan Abed receives Thomas Francis, Jr. Medal.jpg [17]
2020
Both from Camfed, a Non-governmental organization (NGO) that seeks to eradicate poverty in Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of young women, were awarded the prize for their contributions to education for girls and education development in Sub-Saharan Africa. [22] Lucy Lake, CEO of the NGO stated:

This Prize brings a spotlight to the power of our growing movement led by young women who are the experts on what it takes for the most marginalized girls to succeed. Together, we will launch our ambition to support five million girls in school, and it will be game-changing.

2021 Rukmini Banerji CEO of Pratham Education Foundation. [23]
2022 Yongxin Zhu [18]
2023 Shai Reshef Shai Reshef.jpg [19]
2024
all of War Child Alliance. [19]


Worldwide "Educating for the Future" Index

In 2017 the Yidan Prize Foundation released a Worldwide "Educating for the Future" Index [24] (researched by the Economist Intelligence Unit) [25] comparing the education in 35 developed and developing economies (ranking by 16 indicators of education policy, "teaching environment" and "socio-economic environment"), [26] placing New Zealand and Canada in the top two places. [27]

References

  1. ↑ "Chinese billionaire offers biggest education prize - BBC". BBC News. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  2. 1 2 3 "Carol Dweck and Vicky Colbert win largest education prize". Independent Education Today. 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  3. ↑ "Chinese billionaire seeks ideas from Canadian universities for education prize - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail. 2 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  4. ↑ "Yidan Prize for Education Research and Education Development announced at MIT - MIT News". www.news.mit.edu.com. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  5. ↑ Newton, Derek. "The Largest Education Prize On Earth". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  6. ↑ "Have you seen the Yidan Prize medals?". Yidan Prize Foundation. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  7. ↑ "Stanford professor wins inaugural $4 million Yidan Prize". Times Higher Education. 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Pao, Jeff (2018-09-17). "Yidan Prizes announced for supporters of education sector". Asia Times. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  9. ↑ Pickles, Matt (18 January 2017). "Chinese billionaire offers biggest education prize". BBC News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  10. ↑ Chang, Charlotte (13 June 2016). "2030 vision: 5 ways the world's educators must adapt to the new machine age". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Our structure". Yidan Prize Foundation. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "The Yidan Prize". Yidan Prize Foundation. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  13. 1 2 University, Stanford (2017-09-19). "Stanford psychologist recognized with $4 million prize". Stanford News. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  14. 1 2 Flannery, Russell. "Stanford, Colombia Educators Win Tencent Co-Founder's First Yidan Prizes". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  15. ↑ "It's Time for Colleges to Stop Overlooking Hispanic Adults". Chronicle.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  16. ↑ "Anant Agarwal, MIT professor and edX CEO, wins Yidan Prize". MIT News. Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  17. 1 2 "Yidan Prize Laureates Announced". Tech & Learning. September 19, 2019.
  18. 1 2 "Yidan Prize laureates". Yidan Prize Foundation. November 23, 2012.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Our laureates". Yidan Prize Foundation. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  20. ↑ "The Billionaire Who Quit Tencent to Pledge His Money to Teachers". Bloomberg.com. 2018-09-15. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  21. ↑ "Yidan Prize names 2018 laureates". The Financial Express. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  22. ↑ "Meet Yidan Prize 2020 Laureates". Institute for the Future of Education. October 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  23. ↑ "Meet the 2021 Yidan Prize Laureates". Yidan Prize Foundation. 2021-09-28. Archived from the original on 2023-03-25. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  24. ↑ "Future not so bright in index". www.thestandard.com.hk. 2017-10-20.
  25. ↑ "New Zealand is world-leading in preparing students for the future » Education NZ". enz.govt.nz. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  26. ↑ Holland, Beth (24 October 2017). "The Worldwide Educating for the Future Index - A Blueprint for Change". Education Week. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  27. ↑ "New Zealand 'top in world' for preparing students for future". Times Higher Education (THE). 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
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