The first joint conference held among boards and organizations supporting colleges in China began in 1918. In 1923, boards of trustees from thirteen universities and colleges officially organized. Those schools were: Fukien Christian, University Ginling College, Hangchow University, Huachung University, Hwa Nan College, Lingnan University, Nanking University, Saint John's University, Shantung Christian University, Soochow University, University of Shanghai West China, Union University, and Yenching University. The group was known as the United Board for Christian Colleges in China (UBCCC) as well as the Associated Boards for Christian Colleges in China. Active members included Dr. Henry P. Van Dusen (Professor and later President of Union Theological Seminary), who served as president of the organization; Emory Ross; Edward H. Hume; A. L. Warnshuis; and Henry R. Luce. The four most important issues that faced the UBCCC were to idenitify the ideal basis of cooperation or union among those sharing in the work of Christian higher education in China; how the groups should organize; how would potential reorganization affect the special interests of each individual institution and how to safeguard individual interests; and how could the active interest of individual friends be retained and strengthened under any proposed reorganization. The UBCCC was unable to continue its work in China after 1951, at which point it became the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and continued and extended the work of the UBCCC. The name became official in 1955 to show the expanded operations of the organization at this time. After that, according to the official website, "The United Board shifted its efforts to areas outside the mainland, becoming the largest single source of funding support of Tunghai University in Taiwan and providing major support to Chung Chi College in Hong Kong in its early years. Elsewhere in Asia, the United Board provided critical assistance to International Christian University in Japan, Yonsei University in Korea, and Silliman University in the Philippines. In the 1970s, the United Board began working with institutions in Thailand, Indonesia, India, and several other countries. The United Board was formally invited to return to China in 1980." The United Board is still in existence today, and continues to work with many educational organizations throughout thirteen countries and regions in Asia.