United Board for Christian Colleges in China records, 1931 -- 1959

Summary Information

Abstract

The United Board for Christian Colleges in China (UBCCC) was established to support and coordinate activities of Protestant colleges and universities in China. The collection contains committee, historical, correspondence, and annual meeting records that document the UBCCC's work.

At a Glance

Bib ID:
9703420 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
United Board for Christian Colleges in China
Repository:
Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary
Physical Description:
1.25 linear feet (1.25 linear feet; 3 boxes)
Language(s):
English .
Access:

The collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection contains committee, historical, correspondence, and annual meeting records that document the UBCCC's support of and activities with Protestant colleges and universities first in China and later expanding throughout Asia. Topics of discussion, apart from those specific to education at each individual school, include job placement, medical work, research, and publications. The focus of the records is directly before and immediately after the change from the UBCCC to the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia.

  • United Board for Christian Colleges in China records, 1931 -- 1959

    This series contains committee, historical, correspondence, and annual meeting records that document the UBCCC's support of and activities with Protestant colleges and universities first in China and later expanding throughout Asia. Topics of discussion, apart from those specific to education at each individual school, include job placement, medical work, research, and publications. The focus of the records is directly before and immediately after the change from the UBCCC to the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia.

Burke Library record group:

Missionary Research Library Archives: MRL5, East Asia

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in one series in chronological order.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.

Preferred Citation

Item description, MRL5: United Board for Christian Colleges in China Records, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Related Materials

United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia Records (RG 11), Special Collections, Yale Divinity School Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Formerly part of the independent Missionary Research Library (MRL), these records were accessioned by the Burke Library at the time of the MRL's closure in 1976.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Processing Information

Items were removed from three-ring binders. Metal clips and staples were removed from select materials and folded items were flattened. Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. The finding aid was created by Brigette C. Kamsler in 2012 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2021.

Revision Description

2021-09-28 PDF converted to EAD and description updated by Leah Edelman.

Biographical / Historical

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.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Name
United Board for Christian Colleges in China CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Place
China CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID