National Chengchi University

Since its founding in 1927, National Chengchi University (NCCU) has earned a reputation as an institution of higher education celebrated for its studies in the humanities, social sciences, and management/administration sciences. Although it has changed its name and constitution twice in its relatively brief history, the goals and ideals of the university have always remained steadfast: the search for truth, the commitment to academic research, the cultivation of future generations of leaders, and the ability to recognize and respond to changes shaping society and academia.

The history of the university finds its roots in the central government's 1927 founding of the Central Party Affairs School, presided over by then President Chiang Kai-shek in China. The victory of the Northward Expedition in 1929 was accompanied by a name change to the Central Political School. A further progression, the integration of the Central Political School with the Central Cadre School, was an immediate prelude to the full founding of National Chengchi University, which followed shortly upon the 1946 conclusion of the Sino-Japanese War.

The operations of the university were temporarily halted with the loss of Nationalist control in the Chinese mainland in 1949, not to resume again until 1954 when the university was called upon to answer an overwhelming need in Taiwan for an institution of higher education to serve as a training ground for future talent in a wide array of specializations. When the front gates officially opened onto the new campus, now comfortably situated in the foothills of Mucha, university enrollment was limited to graduate students. The following year (1955) saw the resumption of undergraduate classes, and the beginnings of what would be more than 40 years of gradual expansion, both in terms of campus territory and academic foci. Today's campus, which boasts an impressive 104 hectares, enjoys one of the most beautiful locations in Taiwan. Located along the banks of Chingmeishi and Chihnanshi, the campus is gracefully surrounded by mountains and rivers, providing students a commanding view of Taiwan's natural beauty without denying them a convenient commute to the most populated areas of Taipei city.

Over the years NCCU has also established two branch campuses in urban Taipei: The Public & Business Administration Education Center on Chinhua Street and the Institute of International Relations on Wanshou Road. Recent years have seen the construction of several new buildings, including the Information Building, the Arts Center, student dormitories, the Administration Building, the Research Building, and the Tri-Collegiate Building. Future construction projects include new facilities to improve or supplement existing facilities, including a major sports stadium, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a health center, restaurants, and a retail co-op.

The past four decades have seen the development of NCCU from a relatively small academic institution with just four graduate programs into what is now a comprehensive university consisting of 9 colleges, 33 departments, and 42 graduate institutes (all of which oversee master's programs, with 29 offering doctoral programs and 14 providing degree programs for working students). The university now awards diplomas to approximately 3,000 students annually.

Primary responsibility for the functioning of the university falls to the Dean's offices of Academic Affairs, General Affairs and Student Affairs. Day-to-day administrative responsibilities are effectively managed by the departments of Personnel, Secretarial Services, Accounting, Military Services and Physical Training.

At the heart of the university is the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Library, the central management site for the access of information within the community of researchers and students. A collection of eight service and research centers also ensures the smooth flow of information across the many disciplines that make up the NCCU system. In reaching out to a broader community, the university has established an experimental elementary school and a preparatory office for an affiliated junior high school.