University of the West
| Motto | 覺悟本志 (Chinese) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Motto in English | Awaken Your Purpose | ||||||
| Type | Private university | ||||||
| Established | 1990 | ||||||
Religious affiliation | Buddhist (Fo Guang Shan) | ||||||
| President | Minh-Hoa Ta | ||||||
Academic staff | 56 | ||||||
| Students | 180 | ||||||
| Undergraduates | 77 | ||||||
| Postgraduates | 103 | ||||||
| Location | , , United States | ||||||
| Campus | Suburban 10 acres (4 ha) | ||||||
| Colors | Burgundy/Gold | ||||||
| Nickname | UWest | ||||||
| Affiliations | Western Association of Schools and Colleges | ||||||
| Website | www.uwest.edu | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 西来大学 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 西來大學 | ||||||
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University of the West (UWest) is a private Buddhist university in Rosemead, California. It was founded in 1990 by Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Buddhist order Fo Guang Shan and Hsi Lai Temple, the North American order headquarters. The school offered its first class in spring of 1991.
UWest is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Founded by a Buddhist organization, UWest is described in their official documents as a "Buddhist-affiliated university" that is "informed by Buddhist wisdom," but UWest students are not required to be members of Fo Guang Shan or practice Buddhism in any form.