“Social entrepreneurship/innovation education has the potential to release the entrepreneurial potential of millions of teachers and millions more children and young people.”
- British Council Report on Social Entrepreneurship in Education
Increasingly students are consumed with classroom assignments, memorization and tests leaving little time to experience the world around them or discovering the difference they can make to society. At the Qi Social Innovation Center we believe in the courage, creativity, and compassion of all students and their potential to be social innovators: someone who cares, deeply connects with a social or environmental challenge, and takes sustained action to help address it locally.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to cultivate a generation of young social innovators (13-18 years old) in China and beyond, reaching millions by 2030. We do this by developing and hosting unique youth learning programs and by supporting educators and schools through training and consulting services.
The Qi Social Innovation Center operates as a non-profit organization based in Beijing China.
What is Social Innovation?
Our Story
The Qi Social Innovation Center was cofounded by Jack Hsu and Elizabeth Walker Sobhani. As a successful entrepreneur in the US, Jack Hsu returned to China in 2003 and launched the Ivy Education group focusing on bilingual Kindergartens across 4 cities. Ivy merged with Daystar Academy in Beijing in 2014 expanding into K-12 education. Jack was nominated to attend Aspen’s China Leadership Program with fellow CEOs from around China in 2017. Inspired by the workshops and content, and reflecting on his own education at an innovative school in Singapore, Jack created his Aspen pledge: to educate students with entrepreneurial skills combined with a passion to do good in the world – to be social innovators! His pledge was to reach 1 million students around the world. This was the seed that started the Qi Social Innovation Center.
Our Methodology
The Qi methodology for cultivating youth social innovators has been developed through review of global educational research and social innovation studies, combined with practical experience nurturing social awareness and action in students. The concept is centered on three domains: Being, Connecting, and Innovating thus creating a continuous cycle of systematic learning and application for students.
Our Programs
At the Qi Social Innovation Center there are three learning programs to cultivate youth as social innovators: Projects for Change, Venture for Change, and Fellowship for Change. Projects for Change can be implemented at schools around the world while Venture for Change and Fellowship for Change are currently implemented in China.
Curriculum modules guiding middle school students from design to implementation of projects that benefit society through social discourse, service and innovative products.
A China learning summit and challenge for middle and high school students to pitch a social venture and receive startup funding
A 1-year gratis collaboration for visionary high school students to embark upon becoming systems change leaders
Our Team
The Qi Social Innovation Center is guided by an Advisory Board of experienced practitioners, educators and social entrepreneurs who are passionate about delivering a new model of education that nurtures youth with fervor and perseverance to create positive impact in the world.
As individuals we can all contribute to make a change in the world. Although many issues seem large and unsolvable, they can all be elevated by each and everyone one of us contributing.
Grade 8 Student
