College of International Affairs, NCCU

I. Historical Development

The College of International Affairs was established in 2001 through the integration of three existing academic units: the Department of Diplomacy, the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, and the Graduate Institute of Russian Studies. Its primary mission is to cultivate professional leaders in international affairs and cross–Strait relations for Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region. After more than a decade of development, the College has gradually evolved into a professional school with a primary focus on master-level education. In April 2009, it became an affiliate member of the Association for Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), and in April 2025, it was granted full membership.

Founded in 1930, the Department of Diplomacy is one of the oldest departments at National Chengchi University and has long served as a cradle for training diplomatic and foreign affairs professionals in Taiwan. Following the University’s reestablishment in Taiwan in 1954, the Graduate Institute of International Relations was founded (later renamed the Graduate Institute of Diplomacy, now the master's program of the Department of Diplomacy), and undergraduate admissions resumed the following year. In 2000, the Department was approved to establish a doctoral program and the Executive Master's Program in Strategic and International Affairs.

The Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, established in 1968, is the earliest in Taiwan dedicated to research on Mainland China and the first to confer a master’s degree in this field. A doctoral program was approved in 1981, and the Institute has since become a leading academic center for China studies, with alumni active in universities worldwide. The Graduate Institute of Russian Studies, founded in 1994, focuses on political and economic issues in Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and is currently the only institute in Taiwan specializing exclusively in this region.

Since 2003, the College has offered the Executive Master’s Program in National Security and Mainland China Studies, designed for public officials and professionals. In 2011, drawing on faculty resources from the Institute of International Relations, the College of Foreign Languages and Literature, the College of Social Sciences, the College of Law, and the College of Commerce, the College launched the Master's Program in Japanese Studies to train specialists in Japanese politics, economy, and society. The International Studies English-Taught Master's Program, established in 2012, primarily recruits international students to receive formal education in international relations in Taiwan and aims to cultivate future leaders in international affairs.

In January 2012, the University Council approved a resource integration and development plan for the College of International Affairs. Under this plan, resources related to funding, personnel, admissions, curriculum, space, administration, and evaluation are coordinated at the college level while respecting existing operational mechanisms. The goal of this integration is to consolidate institutional strength and position the College as a leading professional school of international affairs in the Asia-Pacific region and a destination of choice for international faculty and students.

In response to Taiwan’s contemporary challenges in diplomacy, national defense, and cross–Strait relations, the College has established several affiliated research centers, including the World Trade Organization Research Center, the Center for Strategic and International Security Studies, the Cross-Strait Political Economy Research Center, the Australia Studies Center, the India Studies Center, the International Negotiation Research Center, the Foreign Policy Research Center, the International Law Research Center, the Korea Studies Center, the An Hsiu-Chen Latin American Studies Center, the Sun Tzu’s Art of War Research Center, and the Chinese Communist International Strategy Research Center.

II. Institutional Strengths

1. Distinguished Academic Units with Long-standing Reputations
   The Department of Diplomacy is the only academic department in Taiwan dedicated specifically to diplomacy and international affairs. The Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies is the earliest regional studies institute in Taiwan focusing on East Asia and Mainland China, while the Graduate Institute of Russian Studies is the only institute specializing in Russian and Eastern European studies. The Master's Program in Japanese Studies is the only graduate program in Taiwan devoted to Japanese politics, economy, and society. The International Studies English-Taught Master's Program, delivered entirely in English and emphasizing international development, conflict, and negotiation, is a pioneering initiative in Taiwan.

2. The Most Comprehensive International Relations Library and Teaching Resources in Taiwan
   With extensive collections housed in the Main Library, Dah Hsien Library, the Social Sciences Data Center, and the Institute of International Relations, the University offers the richest array of resources for international relations research nationwide.

3. Outstanding Research Achievements by Faculty
   Faculty members from the Department of Diplomacy, the Graduate Institutes of East Asian Studies and Russian Studies, and the Institute of International Relations regularly organize domestic and international academic conferences. A significant proportion of faculty and researchers also receive competitive research grants from the National Science and Technology Council each year.

4. High Degree of Internationalization and Diverse Global Learning Opportunities
   The College has signed college-level academic exchange agreements with numerous universities abroad, including institutions in Mainland China. Students may participate in exchange programs and pursue dual-degree programs, thereby gaining international academic exposure.

5. Strong Emphasis on Foreign Language Training
   Students are encouraged to develop proficiency in a second foreign language. In addition to courses taught in Chinese and English, the Graduate Institute of Russian Studies requires coursework in Russian or the completion of Russian language proficiency certification and offers scholarships to support further study. The Japanese Studies Program invites visiting professors from Japan each semester to teach courses in Japanese.

III. Medium- and Long-Term Development Strategies

In response to declining birth rates in Taiwan and intensifying global competition, the College has formulated the following strategies based on its strong foundations in international relations and regional studies:

1. Deepening Existing Research Areas
   By strengthening faculty recruitment and integrating teaching and research resources across departments and programs, the College aims to further enhance its capacity in international relations and established regional studies.

2. Expanding Emerging Area Studies
   Aligned with national policies and global trends, the College supports emerging regional studies programs, including the Master's Program in Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, the Mainland China Studies Credit Program, and the Bachelor's Program in Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures, while continuing to expand interdisciplinary regional research.

3. Enhancing International Competitiveness
   (1) Recruiting international faculty and scholars with strong global competitiveness, and inviting overseas visiting professors.
   (2) Expanding English-taught courses and programs, increasing the proportion of English courses at the master's and doctoral levels, and offering English-taught credit programs at the undergraduate level.
   (3) Promoting cooperation with internationally renowned academic institutions through exchange agreements, dual-degree programs, and summer schools.