Tang Prize | Media | Tang Prize Laureates Hail from World's Elite Universities: Harvard, Yale, Oxford Among 26 Prestigious Institutions

Founded in 2012 by Dr. Samuel Yen-Liang Yin of the Ruentex Group, the Tang Prize announced its sixth cohort of laureates in June 2024. Focused on addressing the challenges of the 21st century, the Tang Prize emphasizes sustainable development. Over the past 13 years, the award's selection committees (comprising top scholars and experts worldwide) have meticulously chosen 39 laureates (including three non-governmental organizations) based on their innovation, contribution, and impact. The Tang Prize has solidified its position as a prestigious international award recognizing both natural and social sciences while valuing the humanities.

Statistics on the laureates' affiliations and alma maters reveal that they predominantly hail from the world's top 100 academic institutions.[1] Harvard University leads with 10 laureates, followed by Yale University with 5. The University of Oxford, University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and Columbia University each have 4 laureates, closely followed by the University of Cambridge with 3, and Osaka University with 2. Other prestigious institutions with one laureate each include Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Rockefeller University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, Université de Montréal, University of London, Trinity College Dublin, University of Copenhagen, Max Planck Institute (Germany), Sorboonne University, National Taiwan University, Kyoto University, University of Tokyo, National University of Singapore, and the University of Melbourne, for a total of 26 world-renowned universities.

Harvard University leads with the most associated laureates, diversely spread across Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Yale University is represented in all categories except Sustainable Development. Columbia University also has laureates connected to three distinct categories, with only the Biopharmaceutical Science award unrepresented. UC Berkeley, in turn, has shown particular distinction through laureates associated not only with Sustainable Development but also Biopharmaceutical Science.

The Tang Prize is also notable for its commitment to gender diversity, boasting a significantly higher percentage of female laureates (28%) than the Nobel Prize (6%). Furthermore, the Tang Prize's rigorous standards and impact are reflected in the fact that three of the past six Tang Prize Laureates in Biopharmaceutical Science went on to win the Nobel Prize in subsequent years. For an international award established just 13 years ago, the Tang Prize's reputation for recognizing groundbreaking work is clearly evident.

Further analysis of the four Tang Prize categories reveals that laureates in Sustainable Development primarily have associations with Harvard University, Columbia University, and UC Berkeley. Biopharmaceutical Science sees the highest number of associations with Harvard University (5 laureates), followed by UC San Diego (3); Yale University, UC Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania, and Oxford University are each associated with 2 laureates in this category. In contrast, the Sinology category features the widest institutional representation: Harvard and Yale Universities lead with 2 associated laureates each, while Columbia University, the University of Pittsburgh, Oxford University, Cambridge University, the University of London, University of Tokyo, Osaka University, National University of Singapore, and National Taiwan University (alma mater of the 2024 Tang Prize Laureate in Sinology Hsu Cho-yun) are each connected to one laureate. Finally, the Rule of Law category shows a relatively even distribution, with one laureate associated with each of Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Université de Montréal (Canada), Oxford University, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and the University of Melbourne (Australia).

The Tang Prize is not limited to prestigious academic institutions. In 2020, the Rule of Law award was jointly presented to three non-governmental organizations: The Legal Agenda (Lebanon), Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), and Dejusticia: The Center for Law, Justice and Society (Colombia). These organizations were recognized for their dedication to public education and advocacy, effectively promoting the rule of law and improving legal mechanisms. They skillfully draw on solid academic research and employ creative judicial strategies to fight for individual, social, and environmental justice in challenging environments, setting an example with significant impact. Thanks to them, the Tang Prize's reputation has reached the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South America, with the 2020 award ceremony garnering over 620,000 views on Facebook.

About the Tang Prize

Since the advent of globalization, mankind has been able to enjoy the convenience brought forth by the advancement of human civilization and science. Yet a multitude of challenges, such as climate change, the emergence of new infectious diseases, wealth gap, and moral degradation, have surfaced along the way. Against this backdrop, Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012. It consists of four award categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned experts, scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize Laureates people who have influenced and made substantive contributions to the world, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.7 million) is allocated to each category, with NT$10 million (approx. US$ 0.35 million) of it being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in every field to examine mankind’s most urgent needs in the 21st century, and become leading forces in the development of human society through their outstanding research outcomes and active civic engagement.

Appendix

Tang Prize Laureates' Affiliations with the World's Top Universities

In North America

In the U.S.:

With Harvard University (10)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2014	Gro Harlem Brundtland	· 1964, Harvard University, MPH (Master of Public Health)
Sustainable Development	2022	Jeffrey Sachs	· 1998-2002, Director, Center for International Development, Harvard University · 1984-2002, Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade, Harvard University
Biopharmaceutical Science	2016	Feng Zhang	· 2011-Present, Core Member, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard · 2004, B.A., Chemistry and Physics, Harvard University
	2016	Jennifer A. Doudna	· 1989, Ph.D., Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
	2018	Brian J. Druker	· 1987-1993, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
	2018	John Mendelsohn	· 1963, M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), Harvard Medical School
	2024	Joel F. Habener	· 1989-2023, Professor of Medicine (Emeritus), Harvard Medical School
Sinology	2014	Yu Ying-shih	· 1966-1977, Professor of Chinese History, Harvard University · 1962, Ph.D. in History, Harvard University
Sinology	2018	Stephen Owen	· Present, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University · 1997–2018, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University · 1982-1997, Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Rule of Law	2024	Mary Robinson	· 1968, Master of Laws (LLM), Harvard University

With Yale University (5)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2016	Jennifer A. Doudna	· 1999-2002, Professor, Yale University, Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
Biopharmaceutical Science	2020	Charles Dinarello	· 1969, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine
Sinology	2014	Yu Ying-shih	· 1977-1987, Charles Seymour Professor of History, Yale University
Sinology	2018	Stephen Owen	· 1972, Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University · 1968-1982, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Yale University
Rule of Law	2014	Albie Sachs	· 2013-2014, Visiting Professor of Law and Gruber Global Constitutionalism Fellow, Yale Law School, Yale University

With Columbia University (4)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2018	James E. Hansen	· 2013-Present, Director of the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions, Earth Institute, Columbia University
Sustainable Development	2022	Jeffrey Sachs	· 2002-2016, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University · 2002-Present, University Professor, Columbia University
Sinology	2016	William Theodore de Bary	· Until 2017, Professor and Provost Emeritus, Columbia University
Rule of Law	2018	Joseph Raz	· 2002-2022, Thomas M. Macioce Professor of Law, Columbia Law School

With the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) (4)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2016	Arthur H. Rosenfeld	· 1963, Professor of Physics, University of California – Berkeley
Sustainable Development	2024	Omar M. Yaghi	· Present, James and Neeltje Tretter Chair Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley
Biopharmaceutical Science	2014	James P. Allison	· 1985-2004, Professor, Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UC Berkeley
Biopharmaceutical Science	2016	Jennifer A. Doudna	· 2013-Present, Head, Division of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, UC Berkeley · 2002-Present, Professor, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley

With the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) (4)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2018	Veerabhadran Ramanathan	· Present, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science at the UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Biopharmaceutical Science	2018	John Mendelsohn	· 1976-1986, Founding Director of Cancer Center, UCSD · 1979-1985, Professor, UCSD
		Brian J. Druker	· 1981, M.D., University of California School of Medicine, San Diego
		Tony Hunter	· 2016–Present, Adjunct Professor, Department of Pharmacology, UCSD

With University of Pennsylvania (2)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Biopharmaceutical Science

2022

Katalin Karikó

· 2021-Present, Adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania

Drew Weissman

· 2021-Present, Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

· 2017-Present, Director of Vaccine Research, Infectious Diseases Division, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

With Boston University (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2022	Drew Weissman	· 1987 M.D. Ph.D., Boston University (Immunology/Microbiology)

With the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Biopharmaceutical Science

2016

Feng Zhang

· 2017-Present, James and Patricia Poitras Professor in Neuroscience, MIT

· 2016-Present, Associate Professor (with tenure), Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biological Engineering, MIT

With Rockefeller University (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2024	Svetlana Mojsov	· 2002-Present, Research Associate Professor, The Rockefeller University

With UC Los Angeles (UCLA) (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2024	Joel F. Habener	· 1965, M.D., University of California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California (Medicine)

With University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2024	Omar M. Yaghi	· 1990, Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign(Chemistry)

With University of Pittsburgh (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sinology	2024	Hsu Cho-yun	· 1998-Present, University Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh

In Canada:

With Université de Montréal (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Rule of Law	2016	Louise Arbour	· 1970, Licentiate in Law (LL.L.), Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal (with distinction)

In Europe

In the UK:

With Oxford University (4)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2020	Marc Feldmann	· 2015–Present, Emeritus Professor, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences, Oxford University
Biopharmaceutical Science	2022	Pieter Cullis	· 1973-1976, Postdoctoral Fellow (Biochemistry), Oxford University
Sinology	2022	Jessica Rawson	· 2021-Present, Honorary Research Associate, School of Archaeology, Oxford University
Rule of Law	2018	Joseph Raz	· 2006-2009, Research Professor, Oxford University · 1985-2006, Professor of Philosophy of Law, Oxford University (an ad hominem chair) & Fellow of Balliol College

With Cambridge University (3)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sustainable Development	2020	Jane Goodall	· 1966, Ph.D. in Ethology, University of Cambridge
Biopharmaceutical Science	2018	Tony Hunter	· 1969, Ph.D., University of Cambridge · 1968-1971, Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge
Sinology	2022	Jessica Rawson	· 1991, Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.), Cambridge University · 1965, B.A. & M.A. in History, Cambridge University

With University of London (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sinology	2020	Wang Gungwu	· 1957, Ph.D., School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

In Ireland:

With Trinity College Dublin (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Rule of Law

2024

Mary Robinson

· 2019-Present, Adjunct Professor for Climate Justice, Trinity College Dublin

· 1967, Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Trinity College Dublin

In Germany:

With Max Planck Institute (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2016	Emmanuelle Charpentier	· 2015-Present, Director, Department of Regulation in Infection Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology

In France:

With Sorbonne University (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Biopharmaceutical Science	2016	Emmanuelle Charpentier	· 1986-1992, B.A., Biochemistry/Microbiology/Genetics, University Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), France

Note: Pierre and Marie Curie University (UPMC), also known as Paris VI, was a public research university in Paris, France, from 1971 to 2017. UPMC merged with Paris-Sorbonne University into a combined Sorbonne University on 1 January 2018. (Wikipedia)

In Denmark:

With University of Copenhagen (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Biopharmaceutical Science

2024

Jens Juul Holst

· 2010-Present, Senior Group Leader, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

· 1978, Doctor of Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

· 1970, Master in Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

In Asia

In Japan:

With Osaka University (2)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Biopharmaceutical Science

2020

Tadamitsu Kishimoto

· 2007-Present, Professor, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University

· 1969, Ph.D., Department of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School

· 1966, M.D., Osaka University Medical School

Sinology

2018

Yoshinobu Shiba

· 2007, Professor Emeritus, Osaka University

· 1979, Professor, School of Letters, Osaka University

· 1969, Assistant Professor, School of Letters, Osaka University

With Kyoto University (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Biopharmaceutical Science

2014

Tasuku Honjo

· 2005-Present, Professor, Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine

· 1975, Ph.D., Kyoto University

· 1966, M.D., Kyoto University

With the University of Tokyo (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Sinology

2018

Yoshinobu Shiba

· 1988-1990, Director, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo

· 1962, Ph.D., The University of Tokyo

· 1955, M.A., Graduate School of Humanities, The University of Tokyo

In Singapore:

With National University of Singapore (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Sinology	2020	Wang Gungwu	· 2007-Present, University Professor, National University of Singapore

In Taiwan (ROC):

With National Taiwan University (1)

Award Category

Year Received Tang Prize

Laureate’s Name

Affiliation

Sinology

2024

Hsu Cho-yun

· 2006, Distinguished Chair Professor, Department of History, National Taiwan University

· 1956, M.A., National Taiwan University

· 1953, B.A., National Taiwan University

In Oceania

In Australia:

With University of Melbourne (1)

Award Category	Year Received Tang Prize	Laureate’s Name	Affiliation
Rule of Law	2022	Cheryl Saunders	· 2015-Present, Laureate Professor Emeritus, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne

Last revision: May 5, 2025

[1] Tang Prize Laureates' Affiliations with the World's Top Universities (see the below appendix for reference)