A Billionaire from Glass Opens a University: How Cao Dewang Wants to improvement Chinese Education

From glass mill to talent forge

In the Chinese educational system, frequently criticized for promoting memory learning at the expense of applicable skills, a new, ambitious player appeared. 79-year-old Cao Dewang, founder and president of the global giant Fuyao Glass, inaugurated on September 12, 2025 the activities of his dream task – University of discipline and Technology Fujian Fuyao. By investing more than 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion in the university), the industrialist-philanthropist challenges the conventional model of education, setting itself the goal of creating a fresh kind of university that will educate innovators, not just examination primaries.

Founder's Vision: Education in the Service of Industry

At the inauguration of the academic year for the first year of students, Cao Dewang in an emotional speech explained the motivations behind his monumental investment. His diagnosis of the problem is simple and results from decades of experience in conducting global business. “I understood that education cannot be separated from reality,” Cao said. He noted the paradox in which Chinese students accomplish excellent results in tests, but after entering the labour marketplace they deficiency key competences: applicable skills, ability to solve problems independently and critical thinking.

That's why his university is expected to be different. According to the founder's vision, Fuyao University is to be an institution:

• Industry-oriented: Teaching programmes are to respond straight to the needs of the modern economy.
• Focused on applications: The explanation must go hand in hand with practice, and students are to learn through action.
• Towards the future: The university is expected to anticipate the upcoming technological trends and prepare staff for them.

“Without talent there is no innovation, and without education there is no future”, Cao stressed, defining the mission of his university as a bridge between the planet of discipline and the realities of industry.

New university model: Public-private hybrid

Fujian Fuyao University of discipline and Technology, located in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, is simply a unique task on the Chinese educational map. It was created as a non-profit institution, financed mainly from the private charity Cao Dewanga (He Ren Charity Foundation), with the support of local authorities. The Ministry of Education, issuing authoritative approval for activities in February 2025, described it as “a fresh kind of university oriented to research”.

The university focuses on disciplines of discipline and engineering, promoting interdisciplinary integration and close cooperation with industry. Within just 2 years, thanks to the individual commitment and almost regular visits of the founder at the construction site, over 72 hectares of ultra-modern campus with an area of 860,000 square meters was created.

Councils for Future Leaders: Knowledge, Virtue and Global Perspective

Turning straight to the first students, Cao Dewang did not focus solely on academic excellence. His message had a much deeper philosophical dimension, which is besides reflected in the university's motto: “Sanctify heaven, love men, prosecute perfection.”

“A truly large university is not defined through buildings, but through its masters,” he said, stressing that the beginning of the campus is only the beginning. He called on students not only to gain knowledge, but to learn to be honest people; not only did they think critically, but they besides acted decisively. “You must not only take root in China, but besides open up to the world,” he urged, encouraging to cultivate a global position while at the same time treading hard on the ground.

Private initiative as a remedy for strategy problems?

The Cao Dewang task is more than just an act of philanthropy. This is simply a bold effort to respond to the strategical challenges facing China – the request to transform from the “world factory” into a global innovation center. This initiative shows increasing awareness in Chinese business elites that further economical improvement of the country depends not on the quantity but on the quality of human capital. Is 1 university, even so generously funded and based on a noble vision, able to change the full system? Time will tell. However, the example of Fuyao University is already becoming an inspiring model and an crucial voice in a national debate on the future of Chinese education.

Source:

1. China News Service (2025-09-12). Fujian Fuyao University of discipline and Technology holds its first beginning ceremony.
2. QQ News (2025-09-13). Cao Dewang’s velocity at the beginning ceremony of Fuyao University of discipline and Technology.
3. China News Mobile (2025-09-12). Fuyao University of discipline and Technology holds beginning ceremonies, Cao Dewang delivers a speed. Author: 梁安基 Andrzej Z. Liang, 上海 Shanghai, 中国 China

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Editorial: Leszek B.

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