Shai Reshef

So over half of the students pay nothing whatsoever in order to study with us. Because this is our mission. Give them the chance. And that's what we do.

So over half of the students pay nothing whatsoever in order to study with us. Because this is our mission. Give them the chance. And that's what we do.

The two hardest thing for me is is first of all to spread the word. Because even though, you know, we have 150,000 students and our students are amazing ambassadors to our mission and they're really doing a lot online, most people who need us don't know that we exist. So how do you spread the word? And being tuition-free means that we don't have a big budget to spread the word.

The two hardest thing for me is is first of all to spread the word. Because even though, you know, we have 150,000 students and our students are amazing ambassadors to our mission and they're really doing a lot online, most people who need us don't know that we exist. So how do you spread the word? And being tuition-free means that we don't have a big budget to spread the word.

Yeah, marketing budget. But when they come to study and when they hear about us and they want to study, We need the money to make sure that we can take them. And this is a challenge. Both things will challenge from day one. And, you know, we have 150,000 students. We are very proud of it. But the demand out there is way larger than that. But we can take all of them.

Yeah, marketing budget. But when they come to study and when they hear about us and they want to study, We need the money to make sure that we can take them. And this is a challenge. Both things will challenge from day one. And, you know, we have 150,000 students. We are very proud of it. But the demand out there is way larger than that. But we can take all of them.

You know, I'm very proud to have 4,300 Afghan women studying with us. But we have over 20,000 applicants. in Afghanistan, and we simply cannot accommodate all of them. So yes, I'm actually from day one raising donations to enable us. We are from almost, after very few years, we became financially sustainable, the operation.

You know, I'm very proud to have 4,300 Afghan women studying with us. But we have over 20,000 applicants. in Afghanistan, and we simply cannot accommodate all of them. So yes, I'm actually from day one raising donations to enable us. We are from almost, after very few years, we became financially sustainable, the operation.

So we don't need donations in order to operate, but we do need the donations in order to get more students. So it goes for scholarships or for new programs, etc. And from day one, I'm raising the money. Coming from the for-profit world, I did not understand what fundraising is and actually how hard it is. And when I started the university, I said, Well, it's such an amazing idea.

So we don't need donations in order to operate, but we do need the donations in order to get more students. So it goes for scholarships or for new programs, etc. And from day one, I'm raising the money. Coming from the for-profit world, I did not understand what fundraising is and actually how hard it is. And when I started the university, I said, Well, it's such an amazing idea.

The money will flow in. Obviously, I mean, we will never have any problem raising money. Well, it took me some time to realize that it doesn't really work this way. And raising money is a profession. And knowing how to build a philanthropic community is hard. So we're doing it, and I do it a large part of my time, and we have now a great team that is working on it.

The money will flow in. Obviously, I mean, we will never have any problem raising money. Well, it took me some time to realize that it doesn't really work this way. And raising money is a profession. And knowing how to build a philanthropic community is hard. So we're doing it, and I do it a large part of my time, and we have now a great team that is working on it.

But it is true that we are not doing as well as we should, and we don't raise as much as we should because, you know, I mentioned scholarships, but if we had enough money, we can turn half of the university to operate with AI. And if we operate with AI, we can serve even more students. So, but again, you need money for that. And so, yeah, there are challenges out there.

But it is true that we are not doing as well as we should, and we don't raise as much as we should because, you know, I mentioned scholarships, but if we had enough money, we can turn half of the university to operate with AI. And if we operate with AI, we can serve even more students. So, but again, you need money for that. And so, yeah, there are challenges out there.

We need help spreading the word, as I said, in any way that anyone can help us either spread because they have a lot of followers or they know others or they know organization that can partner with us. All of it is more than welcome. Moreover, we are also working on a project in Africa.

We need help spreading the word, as I said, in any way that anyone can help us either spread because they have a lot of followers or they know others or they know organization that can partner with us. All of it is more than welcome. Moreover, we are also working on a project in Africa.

The challenge in Africa is that in every single country in Africa, there aren't enough seats in the universities to accommodate the demand. So take Nigeria. It's the largest country, but still 10.5 million students graduate high school every year. A million and a half out of them take and pass the university entrance exams, which means qualified for higher education.

The challenge in Africa is that in every single country in Africa, there aren't enough seats in the universities to accommodate the demand. So take Nigeria. It's the largest country, but still 10.5 million students graduate high school every year. A million and a half out of them take and pass the university entrance exams, which means qualified for higher education.

But there are seats available for half a million. So by definition, a million qualified students will stay out. And what we're saying, use our model. Because in online, you can take any number of students and there is no shortage of seats.

But there are seats available for half a million. So by definition, a million qualified students will stay out. And what we're saying, use our model. Because in online, you can take any number of students and there is no shortage of seats.