To meet the trend of internationalization and globalization in Taiwan and to realize the vision of becoming a "globalized campus," this program was established under the guidance of the president and initiated by the first director, Dr. Gao Shaofan, in line with Ming Chuan University’s philosophy of "treating others' children as your own." The program upholds the goals of "excellence," "professionalism," and "internationalization," with equal emphasis on theory and practice. It established and promoted the Graduate Institute of International Affairs, officially approved by the Ministry of Education in August 2003. The program recruits international students from around the world, including the United States, Russia, the Philippines, Canada, Bolivia, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In a miniature United Nations-like environment, this program trains students to keep pace with global knowledge and information, aiming to enhance the global perspectives and international academic exchange capabilities of both faculty and students.
Dr. Gao Shaofan served as the inaugural director in August 2003, followed by Dr. Yu Jianhong in February 2008, and Dr. Liu Guanghua in August 2008, who held the position until September 2020. In 2020, Dr. Chen Weihua took over as director and program chair, and he retired in February 2022. Dr. Liu Guanghua resumed the role of director and program chair in February 2022. Successive directors have strived to build this program into a solid foundation for professional training, integrating theory and practice to provide a global learning platform for both faculty and students, fostering future leaders with international and diverse perspectives. On November 14, 2008, the program passed the Ministry of Education's higher education evaluation with outstanding performance, and in 2009, it was awarded a certification by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council (HEEACT) (Accreditation No. 097052029(M)).
The Bachelor’s Program in International Affairs and Diplomacy began enrolling students in the 2012 academic year. The curriculum is primarily taught in English, with students primarily composed of local students and international students. Initially, local students were admitted through internal transfers after passing English proficiency tests, while international students were admitted through external recruitment. The undergraduate program opened for external admissions in the 2018 academic year.
To meet the trend of internationalization and globalization in Taiwan and fulfill the vision of being the first fully English-taught International Affairs and Diplomacy program at the undergraduate level, this program was established with two main teaching and research axes: "International/Global Governance" and "Diplomacy." These distinct areas aim to differentiate the program and establish its unique professional image, aligning with future domestic and global market trends and demands.
To achieve the goals of internationalization and globalization in both teaching and research, the program's curriculum balances theoretical knowledge with market demands and trends. Faculty are selected based on their rich professional experience and solid academic research abilities, emphasizing the integration of theory and practice. In short, although the program has a relatively short history, its mission and development goals are to cultivate international professionals with expertise in international diplomacy, global governance, and globalization. Therefore, this program not only aims to train talent for domestic needs but also sets its sights on international positioning as its self-expectation.