Tunghai University

Founded in 1955 by Methodist Missionaries, Tunghai University takes its name from a Romanisation of the East Coast of the Taiwan School. It is also sometimes referred to, even in its own communications, as Tokai or Donghai.

Its first president said that "Pioneering will be our watchword" and oversaw innovations for the university system such as general liberal education, open library stacks, an honour code and the requirement that students work on campus which is maintained today with 30-minute weekday sessions.

Its 133 hectare site in the city of Taichung was the first purpose-built campus in Taiwan, its opening in late 1953 was attended by then vice-president of the USA Richard Nixon.

Voted the "most beautiful campus in Taiwan" in an online poll in 2017, it is advertised as a serious attraction by national and local authorities for its buildings in Tang Dynasty style and the spectacular Luce Memorial Chapel designed by I.M.Pei and Chen Chi-Kwan. The chapel was designated a national monument in 2019.

It started with 200 students in faculties of liberal arts and sciences and by 2018 it has grown to have around 16,000 students in nine colleges, with a male:female ratio of roughly 55:45.

International studies was the ninth college when it opened in 2014, joining other colleges of agriculture, engineering, fine arts, humanities, management and law. The college of management has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) since 2018 and is the largest with more than 3,000 students.

It has been recognised by the Ministry of Education’s Teaching Excellence project for the last 12 years. In 2016 students won the gold medal in the Industrial Design Society for America’s student design competition for the Band Aid Cast, which can be packed flat and used to treat leg, arm or ankle fractures.