Chinese Culture University is located on Yang Ming Mountain, offering a high quality study environment – healthy, peaceful, and inspiring. The place of the hill on which it rests overlooking the Taipei basin had once been a nameless orange plantation. The University Founder Prof. Chang Chi-Yun had paid for it by largely relying on credit, determined to realize his vision, and shaped the place by calling it Hwa Kang (Hua Gang), which in Chinese implies both the beauty and outstanding character of the natural spot and the glory of Chinese culture.

Chinese Culture University (CCU) was founded in 1962 under the name “Far East Research Institute”, starting with twelve research divisions: The Three Principles of the People (after Sun Yat-Sen), Commerce and Trade, Engineering, Agriculture, Philosophy (incl. Education), Literature, History, Politics, Economics, Law, Earth Sciences, Housekeeping and Arts. The first building being erected was the Da Cheng building. One year later in spring, the Institute was structured into 15 departments: Philosophy, Chinese Culture, Asian Languages (incl. Departments of Russian, Japanese, Korean), English, French, German, History, Earth Sciences, News and Information, Aesthetic Arts, Music, Drama, Sports, Housekeeping, Architecture, and City Planning. In fall, four more departments had been added, serving as evening school, offering Administration, Social Work, Mass Communication and Business Studies. Based on this re-organization, the institution became officially recognized by the government as ranking on university level, and was re-named “College of Chinese Culture” by the late President of the Republic of China (R.O.C.), Chiang Kai-Shek.

The following years were marked by continuing growth and improvements. 1969 saw the opening of the School for Continuing Education, today’s No. 1 in Lifelong Learning programs in Taiwan. In 1971, the Hwa Kang Foundation was established, in order to foster cooperation with companies, improving knowledge transfer, adding practical experience to the university teachings, and fuelling it with entrepreneurial spirit. In 1980, all efforts were rewarded when the College’s encompassing character as an institution of Higher Education became recognized by the government’s Ministry of Culture as being conform to the standards of a comprehensive University. It was then that the University received its current name “Chinese Culture University” (briefly: CCU), as which its renewal and growth have continued until today. Four years later, Dr. Chang Jen-Hu, the Founder’s son, took office as the Chair of the Board of CCU, as the most respected heir of the successful work and honorable achievements of his father. Prof. Chang Chi-Yun’s fulfilled life and accomplishments are commemorated in deep thankfulness, most visibly expressed by the Hsiao Feng Memorial Hall and the Hsiao Feng Garden on the CCU campus.

In the 90ies of the 20th century, CCU increased its staff from 390 to 600. The city branches received a newly built complex next to Da-An park, the Da Xia building, with ten floors above and four floors below street level, and a car park underneath. On CCU campus, the main administrative Da En building was re-built into a 12-floor complex, with a modern conference hall in the basement. For the further expansion of the School for Continuing Education, the Da Xin and Zhong Xiao buildings were purchased in Taipei City. The Accountings Unit was certified by ISO 9002, and the Center for Information Communication by ISO9001. The University’s sports team succeeded in the Olympic Games in Sydney, bringing back home three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. The following years saw the refurbishment of the Da Xin building, the construction of the Xiao Feng Memorial Hall, and the erection of the Da Xiao building hosting the gymnasium: with 9 floors above ground level, most of these being modern training and sports equipment facilities, a state-of the art conference center on 8th floor, and a car park in the basement.

CCU today looks at 12 colleges with 61 departments, offering 43 master programs and 12 PhD programs, taught by nearly 1600 faculty and staff serving about 25.000 students each year. The campus runs a complete electronic study and administration system, providing services for administrative, study and research, and daily life demands. A network of collaboration with more than 200 sister universities worldwide and intense Cross-Straits exchange has been established, and the number of Alumni has reached 230.000 – equal to one percent of Taiwan’s population. Exemplary for the University’s vigour, the Sports Unit has been rewarded with 41 gold, 30 silver, and 33 bronze medals between 2003 and 2009. The University’s library ranks 6th in Taiwan, and CCU owns a unique University Museum with exquisite objects of all kinds of the Fine Arts. Now proudly looking back to more than 50 years of successful growth, CCU keeps eagerly striving for excellence, facing the future with great confidence.