The idea of an East-West educational integration in the form of an East-West University System was formally proposed by Dr. Chung-ying Cheng, an internationally renowned philosopher, at the International Conference on Higher Education in the Pacific, held at International Christian University, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan in 1987. As early as in August, 1985, Dr. Cheng founded the Far Eastern Institutes of Advanced Studies (FEIAS) to practice his vision of integrated East-West education and research. This was based on his article, "Towards Establishing An East-West University System: A Program for the Internationalization of Higher Education in the Greater Pacific", presented at the above mentioned conference and published in both the Proceedings of that Conference and the international educational journal, East-West Education, Spring 1988 (9:1) (page 93-98).

With an unusual commitment, Dr. Cheng contributed personal funds to lease an administration office in Honolulu, for the operation of the Institutes. The Institutes were formally incorporated on May 8, 1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Founding Members of the Institutes are listed as Dr. Chung-ying Cheng, Dr. Everett Kleinjans, and Dr. Ronald Oldenbury. The present name, International East-West University, was officially adopted along the lines of the original 1985 Charter of the Far East Institutes of Advanced Studies on June 6, 1995, and recorded under the Law of the State of Hawaii. The new Charter for International East-West University has been adopted since April 28, 1995.

The Institutes began with a short-term postgraduate program of bilingual (English and Chinese) courses in philosophy, music and management. Since 1985, a total of 250 participants have been successfully trained in various fields ranging from financial management to East-West music. A degree courses program of Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), with core courses designed in terms of the East-West synthesis, was developed by the Institutes in 1989, in collaboration with the Graduate School of the China University of Science and Technology, the topmost science and technology university in China, located in Beijing, China. The degree was endorsed, articulated and authorized in the First International Global Systems and Decision Sciences Conference, held during August 1988, in Beijing. The program requirements include a bilingual (Chinese-English) course work of 54 credits and a thesis of no less than 35,000 words written under the direction of a professor.

The program first became operational in 1990 through an agreement of the Institutes with the Graduate School of China University of Science and Technology. Since then, a total of 80 qualified Chinese students have been admitted, after an entrance examination, and given formal education and training in both China and USA. Regular class teachings took place on the Shijingshan Campus of the Gradaute School of China University of Science and Technology in Beijing and the Campus of the Jinan Dianshi University in Jinan, Shandong Province of China, for the next two years.

1n 1993, 77 students graduated from the program and received the EMBA degree from the FEIAS,in collaboration with the Graduate School of China University of Science and Technology in Beijing, with graduation ceremonies held in three cities, Honolulu, Beijing and Jinan. Positive reaction and high evaluation from graduates and their employers prompted, a continuous growth of the program. Also in 1993, FEIAS entered into collaboration with other Chinese universities, to jointly educate and train students in the business and philosophy courses program.

At the same time the International School of Chinese Management in Taipei, Taiwan, a close affiliate of the FEIAS, has also upgraded its short-term courses programs to a full-fledged Executive MBA courses programs, with a qualified faculty of over 30 instructors and researchers in various fields of management studies.

The IEWU EMBA Courses Programs were again articulated, critically reviewed and endorsed in the Second International Conference of Global System and Decision Sciences in Beijing in November 1993. At present we only offer degree course program on Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) in collaboration with bona-fide Universities and Academies in China and Taiwan which are respectively regulated by the Ministry of Education of the PRC. The program is implemented under strict supervision of both the Chinese institution and IEWU. We do not offer any other degree courses programs.

The IEWU must be recognized as the first institution to pioneer in truly international, truly multi-cultural and truly bilingual management education courses programs. Although the IEWU has always endeavored to incorporate and maintain the academic standards of the leading US and European business schools in its course design, teaching methodology, case studies and thesis supervision, it also has developed a unique style and spirit of excellence in the integration of Management Science and Philosophy of Management and the reconciliation of strategic competitiveness with business ethics.