Dr. Sherman Jen, The Winner of Cognia’s 2021-2022 Excellence in Education Award

Jun 14, 2022

Cognia’s 2021-2022 Excellence in Education Award

Cognia is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2021-2022 Excellence in Education Award is Dr. Sherman Jen, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Maple Leaf Educational Systems. This prestigious award is conferred annually upon individuals, including but not limited to educators, professors, university administrators, chancellors and ministry officials, and other leaders from the education community, who have made significant impacts in education and demonstrated unparalleled leadership to promote educational excellence, collaboration and quality.


The Excellence in Education award was introduced to recognize individuals for their achievements in education. Nominees were judged on their contributions toward:

• Generating a common vision and mission for higher expectations among students, faculty, and the education community;

• Demonstrating a record of significant and distinguished contribution to the education profession;

• Providing a lasting positive impact on student learning;

• Serving as a role model and mentor for students and/or future generations of educators; and

• Demonstrating significant professional contribution to Cognia’s three US Regional Accreditation agencies, NCA CASI, NWAC and SACS CASI.


Congratulations to Dr. Sherman Jen on his selection for this highly celebrated honor because of his leadership in and tireless contributions to advancing excellence in education.


Below is a brief bio of the award winner, Dr. Sherman Jen.

Dr. Sherman Jen

Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Maple Leaf Educational Systems


Dr. Sherman Jen was born and raised in China. He later moved to Vancouver, Canada. While living in Canada, Sherman developed the idea of an educational system that would blend the best of the educational model he saw in Canada with the strengths and cultural richness that he knew from the Chinese educational system. With this idea in mind, to blend the best of East and West in education, he returned to China in 1994 and establish his first school in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China in 1995. He was the first to integrate a western and Chinese program in China’s K-12 educational system. The Dalian School opened with 14 students. Maple Leaf Educational Systems has now expanded to more than 110 schools and 40,000 students in more than 20 cities across China and schools in Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia.


Dr. Sherman Jen’s vision, diplomacy, and unwavering dedication to blend the best of East and West in education has been foundational to Maple Leaf’s remarkable success. Maple Leaf has provided a world of opportunity for its graduating students. Since 1999, more than 20,000 Maple Leaf grade 12 graduates have studied at over 700 universities in more than 30 countries. More than 95 percent of Maple Leaf’s graduates have successfully transitioned into universities around the globe.


In recognition of his outstanding contributions to global education and citizenship, in June 2013, Dr. Sherman Jen was honoured by Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada with the conferring of an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.


Dr. Sherman Jen has received numerous additional awards and recognitions, including: Award for Contributions to China-Canada Education Cooperation granted by British Columbia, Canada; Most Influential Figure of China’s Private Education Award; Liaoning Friendship Award granted by Liaoning Provincial Government; Overseas Chinese Professionals’ Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award granted by Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council of China; Outstanding Achievement Award granted by the government of British Columbia Canada; Governor General of Canada’s Medallion; and the Chinese Government’s Friendship Award, the highest award granted to a foreign expert in China.


By being educated to think both Eastern and Western, having teachers and receiving education from both, as well as educated in both English and Mandarin, 20,000+ Maple Leaf graduates are well-positioned to serve as global ambassadors and leaders to blend the best of East and West in understanding and cooperation, and serve as global leaders of tomorrow. What an amazing result from one person’s vision and dedication – Dr. Sherman Jen’s goal to blend the best of East and West in education.

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