National Central University

For the successor to the National Central University in China, see Nanjing University.
National Central University
國立中央大學 (Chinese)
Former name
  • Nanking Higher Normal School (1915–1923)
  • National Southeastern University (1921–1927)
  • National Central University (1928–1949)
  • National Central University Graduate Institute of Geophysics (1962–1968)
  • National Central University College of Science (1968–1979)
Motto誠樸 (Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: shîn-phok; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sêng-phok)[1]
Motto in English
Sincerity and Simplicity[2]
TypePublic
Established1915 (1915)[a]
PresidentJing-Yang Jou
Academic staff
746 (full time)
Undergraduates5,743
Postgraduates6,037
Location
Zhongli, Taoyuan City, Taiwan

24°58′06″N 121°11′34″E / 24.96833°N 121.19278°E / 24.96833; 121.19278
CampusSuburban
Affiliations
Websitewww.ncu.edu.tw
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese国立中央大学
Traditional Chinese國立中央大學
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳKwet-li̍p Chung-yong Thài-ho̍k
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKok-li̍p Tiong-iong Tāi-ha̍k

National Central University (Chinese: 國立中央大學; pinyin: Guólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué; abbreviated NCU; 中大; Zhōngdà) is a public research university in Zhongli, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. Founded in 1915 in Nanking, it was reestablished in Taiwan in 1968 after the Chinese Civil War and gained its current name in 1979.

The university is organized into eight colleges, 26 departments, 19 graduate institutes, and six research centers. It is one of the six national universities in research selected by the Ministry of Education.[4][b]

History

According to The History Evolution of National Central University (國立中央大學沿革史) of 1937, the precursor of the university was founded in the winter of the first year of Sun Xiu's reign (AD 258) during the era of Three Kingdoms. Since this foundation, it has evolved and adopted different names in each dynasty or period in imperial China. Its immediate predecessor was a modern institution of higher learning established in Nanking (Nanjing) in 1902 during the Qing Dynasty, the Sanjiang Normal School (三江師範學堂, which was renamed the Liangjiang Higher Normal School (兩江優級師範學堂) in 1906. This was closed in 1911 when the Qing Dynasty was overthrown.

In 1915 after the Republic of China has been proclaimed, the Nanking Higher Normal School (南京高等師範學校) was established to replace the Liangjiang Higher Normal School, and it is this year that is most often cited as the establishment of the National Central University now based in Taiwan.[5][6][7][c] In 1921, the National Southeastern University (國立東南大學) based on the normal school was established by the Beiyang Government. With the success of the Northern Expedition and the national government establishment its capital in Nanking in 1927, the university was reorganized and give the name National Fourth Sun Yat-sen University (國立第四中山大學), as Nanking was the fourth major city conquered in the expedition. Early the following year it was renamed National Kiangsu University (國立江蘇大學) and then simply Kiangsu University (江蘇大學) in quick succession. Dissatisfied with the lack of "national" in the name, professors and students struck for a new name,[8] and in May 1928 the university became the National Central University (國立中央大學).

Following Japanese invasion of China 1937, the Nationalist regime relocated westward to the temporary capital of Chungking (Chongqing), and with it, NCU moved to the west as well. Upon its relocation to Chungking, the university was given 200 mu of land by Chungking University, and a cooperative relationship was established between the two universities. During this period, many distinguished professors taught at both universities, contributing significantly to the academic environment. These included notable figures such as Li Siguang, a renowned geologist; Xu Beihong, a famous painter and art educator; Wu Guanzhong, an accomplished painter and art educator; Ma Yinchu, an influential economist and educator; He Lu, a prominent physicist; and Lu Zuofu, a distinguished literary scholar. This era of collaboration not only strengthened the academic capabilities of both universities but also played a crucial role in preserving and advancing China's educational and cultural institutions amid the challenges of war.[9]

During the rule of Wang Jingwei's Japanese puppet regime in Nanking from 1940 to 1945, a small National Central University was also established on the campus of what had been the Central Political Institute.

Following the end of World War II, National Central University reopened in Nanking in November 1946, with its main campus in the Sipailou area. After the Nationalist government lost Nanking to the Chinese Communist Party during the Chinese Civil War, that university's name was changed from National Central University to National Nanjing University (國立南京大學) in 1949. It subsequently has gone through a number of name changes and reorganizations.

After the communists took control of China, the Nationalist regime retreated to Taiwan. Beginning with Chengchi University in 1954, there was an effort at restoration of other national universities from China in Taiwan, such as Tsing Hua in 1956 and Chiao Tung in 1958. National Central University was first reestablished in Taiwan in 1962 as the National Central University Graduate Institute of Geophysics (國立中央大學地球物理研究所) in Miaoli County. In 1968, NCU moved to its current location in the Shuanglianpo area of what was then Zhongli City in Taoyuan County (now Zhongli District of Taoyuan City) and was renamed the National Central University College of Science (國立中央大學理學院). In 1979, it was officially restored under the name National Central University. In 2003, NCU and three other national universities established the University System of Taiwan cooperative partnership. NCU is now a research-oriented national comprehensive university.[10] NCU was the first university in Taiwan to research industrial economics[11] and economic development (Taiwan's Consumer Confidence Index is released monthly by NCU).[12]

Location

The university's Taoyuan City campus is situated in the northern part of the island, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) away from the capital Taipei and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from Zhongli railway station. NCU campus is 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) away from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

NCU Lulin Observatory is located near Yushan National Park, in the southern part of Taiwan.

Academics

National Central University
Library
University rankings
Global – Overall
ARWU World[13]901-1000 (2025)
QS World[14]=587 (2026)
THE World[15]1001–1200 (2025)
USNWR Global[16]1072 (2025)
Regional – Overall
QS Asia[17]112 (2025)
THE Asia[18]251–300 (2025)

NCU consists of eight colleges:

Each college houses numerous research centers, such as the Center for Space & Remote Sensing Research, Hazard Mitigation & Prevention, Taiwan Economic Development, Biotechnology & Biomedical Engineering, and several boutique-style humanities centers. In total, the eight colleges contain 19 undergraduate departments, 48 graduate institutes, and 38 research centers.

The undergraduate population is represented by the Associated Students of National Central University (Chinese: 國立中央大學學生會; pinyin: Guólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué Xuéshēnghuì), founded in 1991.

  • College of Hakka Studies
    College of Hakka Studies
  • College of Science
    College of Science
  • College of Earth Science
    College of Earth Science

International programs

NCU participates in the Taiwan International Graduate Program in Earth System Science of Academia Sinica, Taiwan's most preeminent academic research institution.

Notable alumni and faculty

See also

Notes

  1. ^ See § History for details
  2. ^ The others are Taiwan, Tsing Hua, Yang Ming Chiao Tung, Cheng Kung and Sun Yat-sen Universities.
  3. ^ While 1915 is considered the year of the "founding" (創校) of the school, the university does consider 1902 to be its year of "origin" (源頭).

References

  1. ^ "關於中央大學﹣校徽/校訓/校歌 (Chinese)". Nat'l Central U. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  2. ^ "NCU Motto: Sincerity and Simplicity". Nat'l Central U. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  3. ^ "Search Accredited Schools | AACSB".
  4. ^ Huang, Muxuan (黃慕萱) (2004). 書目計量與學術評鑑—國內七所研究型大學論文發表概況分析。引文分析與學術評鑑研討會論文集. Taipei. p. 135–152.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ National Central University at the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  6. ^ 關於中央大學 - 校史紀要 [About National Central University: School History]. Archived 2015-11-19 at the Wayback Machine. National Central University website. 11 November 2015. (in Chinese)
  7. ^ 總統出席「中央大學創校97週年暨在臺建校50週年校慶」 [President Attends Celebration of National Central University's 97th Anniversary and 50th Anniversary in Taiwan]. Archived 2020-04-15 at the Wayback Machine. Office of the President. 2 June 2012. (in Chinese)
  8. ^ Grand Academic Council Gazette. [大學院公報]. Volume 5. May 1928. (in Chinese)
  9. ^ "Study in Chongqing". www.studyinchongqing.com. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  10. ^ * 《The History Evolution of National Central University》, (1937) (《國立中央大學沿革史》 中華民國二十六年) *"Chinese Encyclopedia" {中華百科全書} Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "國立中央大學產業經濟研究所". ie.mgt.ncu.edu.tw. Archived from the original on 2010-10-21.
  12. ^ "歡迎光臨--台灣經濟發展研究中心資料網". Archived from the original on 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  13. ^ Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020
  14. ^ "QS World University Rankings".
  15. ^ NCU - Times Higher Education World University Rankings
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2025-06-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ^ 2021 QS Asian University Rankings
  18. ^ NCU - Times Higher Education World University Rankings
  19. ^ Peiyu, Liu (20 November 2020). "台灣閱讀教育重要推手 前國教院長柯華葳過世 享壽67歲" [Former Dean of National Education, Ke Hwawei, an important promoter of reading education in Taiwan, died at 67 years old] (in Chinese). SET News. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
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