Mr. Howard Schultz, chairman of Starbucks Coffee Company, spoke to the students September 19, sharing his successful experiences in developing the coffeehouse chain into a world-famous business.

Before the speech, Tsinghua President Gu Binglin met and talked with Mr. Schultz, giving an outline of student enrollment, fund raising, and academics at Tsinghua University. President Gu had high praise for Starbucks’ contribution to education in China.

Also on Monday morning, Starbucks Coffee Company announced announced the establishment of the Starbucks China Education Project, a US$5 million (approximately 40 million renminbi) commitment to support educational programs in China.

Mr. Schultz later delivered a speech at the School of Public Policy and Management. He explained how the company developed from four stores to the current scale, emphasizing that customers and staff deserve time and attention.

“We should respect the people representing the company,” Mr. Schultz said of Starbucks, adding that the company “should make the customers feel appreciated.”

Mr. Schultz also discussed his thoughts on management. He answered several questions from the students after the speech.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,500 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim.

Reported by Li Han