Letter from the United Board President

Dear Friends of the United Board,

This year, the United Board, like non-profit organizations across the United States, has felt the effects of the global financial contraction.  In order to address our financial reality, our Board of Trustees moved proactively to adopt new, innovative practices to ensure that we may continue our mission of enhancing Christian presence in Asian institutions of higher education.  While not abandoning our signature programs and activities, the approach moves the United Board into a new phase, one that will deepen our partnerships and further enrich our programs.   

Building on our strengths.  The dynamic, pan-Asian networks we have developed through outstanding programs such as United Board Fellows, Asian University Leaders and other efforts will be utilized to deepen and broaden our activities on the ground. For the past eight years, our programs have been initiated and located in Asia.  That will not change.  But they will now be led by partner institutions in Asia in cooperation with the United Board. 

Setting new foci.  Going forward, the United Board’s programmatic activities will center around three initiatives:  Environment, Inter-religious Understanding and Digital Humanities.  These are broad themes that reflect key issues for Asia and build on the existing strengths of the United Board.  In designing the initiatives, we have consulted with our partners, who have advised us on needs, available expertise and means for collaboration.

The rationale for focusing on these initiatives is simple and straightforward.  We believe that environmental degradation is all too evident, and that Asian experiments in non-exploitative, sustainable living need to be drawn further into educational practices.  As people of all faiths make their home in Asia, respecting diverse beliefs and promoting dialogues that explore unifying elements is an integral part of our mission.  Finally, we believe that digital models and networks – particularly those that preserve local knowledge and wisdom – will enhance access to and sharing of knowledge among Asian colleges and universities. 

Renewing our legacy programs.  Our signature programs will be embedded in the new program framework.  The United Board Fellows and Regional Faculty Scholarships and United Board-administered programs such as the Asian University Leadership Program and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Asian Cultures and Theologies will continue but will be more closely aligned with the themes of the three initiatives.  Administered programs will occur on a rotating basis.   

Ensuring programs are Asia-centered and driven.  All of these steps reflect our belief that the center of Asian Christian higher education is in Asia.  Our programs are and will be initiated and located in Asia, so that from inception through execution they are driven by the needs and knowledge of the region.  This practice would not be possible without the valuable experience we gained through our Hong Kong office over the past eight years.  Having this base in the region allowed us to expand our professional contacts and develop strong working relations with institutions across Asia.  The result is a vital network ready to assume strong collaborations with us as we move into a new, more interactive phase.   

The United Board stands for ideals fundamental to Christian teachings and traditions:  unity, integrity, tolerance, harmony, reconciliation, and justice.  We believe that by working together with our partners, we can reinforce these values – values even more important during this period of financial uncertainty – in higher education throughout Asia.

Please continue to check our website for news about United Board programs.

Sincerely,

Patricia Stranahan
President