Who We Are
Horizon Academic Research Program
Our Story
The Horizon Academic Research Program was founded in 2016 with the goal of helping high school students to do "college research with a cause", working on research projects that were socially meaningful and identified workable solutions to pressing public policy problems, while also being assessed according to standards used for first-year university students. Horizon was founded a team of three American educators and experienced NGO leaders, united by the belief that meaningful academic research can be done online and that, by using technology to bridge barriers of geography and access, the ability to do academic research with university researchers and faculty members should be governed by a competitive, merit-based admissions process, rather than based on personal or family connections. In 2016, we introduced classes in Development Economics, Environmental Engineering, and International Relations. We traveled to schools around the US and China, making the pitch for high school research, and we sponsored debate tournaments, business competitions, robotics tournaments, and Model U.N. conferences because we believe in the importance of extracurricular activities. Since 2016, our program has grown substantially, and we're now proud to work with 200 students each year from more than 30 countries in pairing them with 56 instructors.
Where in the World We Are
We're an online program, so we do not offer in-person classes in any of our offices. After all, our instructors are based at more than a dozen universities. Our administrative offices are in Jersey City (just across the river from New York City), Washington D.C., and Beijing, China. Our central office phone number is 917-983-3885.
Where in the World Our Students Are
In Summer of 2020, 65% of our students were from the US, with the next biggest sending countries being China (10%), India (8.3%), Turkey (4%), Canada (2%), and the UAE (2%). We value and welcome students of all nations and backgrounds.
Is Horizon a Company or a Volunteer Organization?
We're a private company, because we believe that having full-time staff to administer the program is important to delivering the best experience for our students who entrust us with 10-16 weeks of their time. However, we also believe in the importance of making extracurricular activities affordable and accessible. We act on this belief through our financial aid program as well as our continued sponsorship of various extracurricular activities around the world, including debate tournaments, business competitions, model U.N. conferences, and student journals.
What We're Not
102 Christopher Columbus Dr.
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Monday - Friday 9:30AM-5:30PM ET
+1.917.983.3885
contact@horizoninspires.com
Horizon © 2023