Minerva University

Minerva University, established through the ambitious Minerva Project in 2012 with a significant US$25 million venture funding from Benchmark Capital, set out to redefine higher education. Operating as a private university, Minerva has quickly distinguished itself by pioneering a modern, seminar-based curriculum focused on developing critical thinking skills, encapsulated by its motto "Sapientia Critica" (Critical Wisdom). Its innovative model challenges traditional campus-centric learning, instead offering a unique educational journey designed for the 21st century.

The academic foundation of Minerva was carefully crafted under the leadership of its founding Dean, Stephen Kosslyn, a distinguished academic from Stanford and Harvard. The university offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs, including Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Humanities, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Business, Computational Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Expanding its academic offerings, Minerva also introduced a Master of Science in Decision Analysis. This rigorous curriculum, combined with an exceptionally selective admissions process—demonstrated by a 2.8% acceptance rate for its first class—attracts highly motivated and globally-minded students.

Minerva officially launched its academic programs as the Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute in 2013, solidifying its institutional framework. The inaugural class in 2014 benefited from a groundbreaking initiative that included free tuition for four years and a unique gap year after freshman year, underscoring Minerva's experimental and student-focused approach. Beyond its core programs, Minerva actively engages in innovative collaborations, such as its partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, allowing students there to access Minerva's distinctive cross-disciplinary Cornerstone Courses, further extending its global reach and influence.