Formerly called Kaohsiung Polytechnic Institute (KPI), ISU was established in 1986 by Chairman I-Shou Lin of E United Group in gratitude for his mother's care for and devotion to the family. It was also Mr. Lin's way of giving back to the society and accomplishing his lifelong mission of nurturing highly educated professionals for the country.The Institute was officially renamed I-Shou University (ISU) in 1997. Currently it has eight colleges: College of Science & Engineering, College of Electrical & Information Engineering, College of Management, Medical Disciplines, International College, College of Tourism & Hospitality, College of Language Arts, and College of Communication & Design. In 2012, ISU has 40 departments offering 18 master's programs, 7 doctoral programs, 12 evening bachelor's degree programs, 9 in-service master's programs, and 3 two-year in-service programs. The number of students exceeds 16,000 and keeps growing. ISU has gradually developed into an international academic institution that strikes a balance between liberal arts and scientific studies.