 The name of Ma Chung comes from former Peranakan Chinese-owned high school at Malang in 1950s.The initial idea of establishing Ma Chung University was sparked during the Grand Reunion in commemoration of the 55th anniversary of Ma Chung high school in September 2001 at Xiamen, China.Based on ""when you drink water, think of its source, to not forget one's roots or heritage"" () traditional chinese proverb, on 1 May 2004, the Ma Chung College was established as the initial step in the establishment of Ma Chung University, which was founded by Mochtar Riady, a Chinese-Indonesian billionaire, and other fourteen notable Ma Chung High School alumni (Soegeng Hendarto, Teguh Kinarto, Hendro Sunjoto, Koentjoro Loekito, Effendy Sudargo, Agus Chandra, Hadi Widjojo, Nuryati Tanuwidjaya, Nehemja, Alex Lesmana Samudra, Evelyn Adam, Usman Harsono, Nagawidjaja Winoto, and Soebroto Wirotomo)