Due to the country's rapid development of industries, former Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Li Guo-Ding, called upon private and state-own corporations to join in the funding of a higher education institution in the Hsin-Chu and Miao-Li areas in June 1969, with the objective of developing a middle-level technical workforce. A site was chosen in the Miao-Li region, where there was a shortage of higher education institutions at the time. The Board of Directors was set up, and Mr. Jin Kai-Ying was invited to take the position of the Chairman of the Board.
After the site was chosen, Minister Sun Yun-Xuan delegated the construction work to the Committee of National Corporations. The College was completed under the supervision and management of Mr. Zhang Guang-Shi and Xu Li-De. The first college president, Mr. Chen Wei-Zhong, was called upon to assist in setting up the college. The school, then a two-year private junior college, started its first semester in September 1972. This college was the only higher education institution in the Miao-Li region at the time.

Initially, the College was mainly set up for industry-related technologies. As the resources and number of students grew, Business and Commerce courses were added into the curriculum, and the College was renamed United College of Technology and Commerce in 1992. On July 1st 1995, the Board of Directors of the initial private college donated the school to the Minister of Education, and the College officially became a public institution with a new name － the National United College of Technology and Commerce. Later, on July 1st 1999, the College was officially reorganized into an Institute of Technology.

To lead the development of higher education, the Institute continued to serve the public with a strong foundation in science, technology, and business administration as well as planning for future expansion. On August 1st, 2003, the Institute was officially upgraded to University status.

• June 2, 1969：Minister of Economic Affairs K.T. Li invites both public and private enterprises to jointly establish this two-year post-secondary institution.
• June 23, 1972：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of this private college and names this nonprofit institution "Lien Ho Industrial and Technological Junior College."
• Sept. 29, 1972：First opening ceremony held.
• Aug. 1, 1973：The Minister of Education (MOE) authorizes the change of name to "Lien Ho Junior College of Technology."
• Aug. 1, 1981：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of the Night School .
• Aug. 1, 1992：Business-related programs are added and the institution is renamed "Lien Ho College of Technology & Commerce."
• July 1, 1995：This institution is transferred to the Minister of Education and has its name changed to "National Lien Ho College of Technology and Commerce."
• Aug. 1, 1999：The Minister of Education approves the name change of this institution to "National Lien Ho Institute of Technology." Since then, four-year technological and vocational education (TVE) programs have been provided.
• Aug. 1, 2003：This TVE institution is transformed to a comprehensive university and is renamed " National United University ," which consists of a research center ( Global Hakka Research Center ) as well as four colleges ( College of Science and Engineering, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Management , and College of Technology ).
• Feb. 6, 2004：Five graduate programs are offered. Master's students have been recruited as of the Spring Semester of the 2003-2004 Academic Year.
• Aug. 1, 2006：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of the College of Hakka studies
• Aug. 1, 2007：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Aug. 1, 2008：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of the Ph.D. Program in Materials and Chemical Engineering
• Aug.1, 2009：Merger of TVE programs while maintaining dual enrollment of high school and vocational high school graduates.
• Aug.1, 2010：Preliminary opening of the second campus - Bajia Campus in academic year 2010.
• Sep. 9, 2010：Official opening of the connecting route between campuses.
• Feb. 1, 2014：The Minister of Education approves the establishment of the College of Design.
• Aug. 1, 2014：Grand opening of the second campus - Bajia Campus in academic year 2014.