National Tsing Hua University

History

Founding

After U.S. Secretary of State John Hay suggested that the US$30 million Boxer Indemnity paid to the United States from China was excessive, U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt and U.S. Congress reduced the Qing indemnity by US$10.8 million on the condition that the funding be used as scholarships for Chinese students to study at American universities. Under this fund, Tsinghua College (Chinese: 清華學堂; pinyin: Qīnghuá Xuétáng) was established in Beijing on 22 April 1911 on the site of a former royal garden belonging to a prince. It was initially a preparatory school for students intending to pursue studies in the U.S. on government scholarships. The faculty members for the sciences were recruited by the YMCA from the United States and its graduates transferred directly to American schools as juniors upon graduation. In 1925, the school established its College Department and started its research institute on Chinese Study.

War years

In 1928, the authority officially changed its name to National Tsing Hua University (NTHU). During the Second World War in 1937, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Nankai University merged to form National Changsha Temporary University in Changsha, and later National Southwestern Associated University in Kunming. After the war, Tsinghua moved back to Beijing and resumed its operation there.

During the Sino-Japanese War, the library lost 200,000 volumes, out of a total of 350,000.

Relocation to Taiwan

In 1956, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) was reinstalled on its current campus in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Since its reinstallation, NTHU has developed from an institute focusing on Nuclear Science and Technology to that of a comprehensive research university offering degrees programs ranging from baccalaureate to doctorate in science, technology, engineering, humanities and social sciences, as well as management. NTHU has been consistently ranked as one of the premier universities in Taiwan and is widely recognized as the best incubator for future leaders in industries as well as academics. Such stellar records are particularly exemplified by the outstanding achievements of alumni, including two Nobel laureates in physics (Dr. Chen-Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee), one Nobel laureate in chemistry (Dr. Yuan-Tseh Lee) and one Wolf Prize winner in mathematics (Dr. Shiing-Shen Chern).

Recent history

In recent decades, the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan has had increasingly close ties with the Tsinghua University in People's Republic of China (China). Of all universities on Taiwan, the NTHU has arguably one of the strongest cooperations with universities in mainland China in academic research, projects, and with the creation of programs such as the "Center for Contemporary China".

The first astronomical satellite by Taiwan's space agency (TASA) is developed by NTHU and Academia Sinica. It is called The Gamma-ray Transients Monitor and is a cubesat with the goal of tracking Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and other bright gamma-ray transients with energies ranging from 50 keV to 2 MeV. It will be deployed to orbit by Falcon 9 in Q4 2026.

In 2016, National Hsinchu University of Education (NHCUE) merged into NTHU to form the NTHU Nanda Campus on Nanda Road in East District, Hsinchu City.

Tradition

Meichu Tournament

The Mei-Chu Tournament, held in March annually, is a sport competition between National Tsing Hua University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Since its establishment in 1969, the tournament, also known as the Mei-Chu Games, has become a tradition, and is considered one of the most important activities between these two prestigious universities in Taiwan.

The history of the Meichu Games goes back to the 1960s. After the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, National Tsing Hua University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University were both relocated in Hsinchu, Taiwan and became neighbors. The geographic and academic closeness prompted many intellectual and social exchanges between two universities.

In 1966, an informal tournament was held. The arrangement of the formal event, however, was not institutionalized until 1968, when Chian Feng, an executive officer of NTHU student activity center, received the permission from the university authority to plan sport events for NTHU and NCTU students modeling after the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

While both side agreed on the plan to hold such an annual event, there was a disagreement on the naming of the Games. At last, Zhang Zhi-yi solved this problem by proposing the conventional coin tossing. "If the head-side is up, the game would be called Mei-Chu; otherwise, the game would be called Chu-Mei." As the head-side of the coin went up, the tournament was thereby named Meichu to commemorate the two founding presidents of NTHU and NCTU, Mei Yi-chi and Ling Chu-Ming.

Rankings

NTHU is generally considered to be one of the best universities in Taiwan.

In 2014, the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association listed NTHU as one of the seven well-known Taiwanese universities.

In 2021, Times Higher Education ranked National Tsing Hua University 351-400th in the world. The 2021 QS World University Rankings ranked National Tsing Hua University 168th overall. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked National Tsing Hua University 363rd in the world. In 2020, Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked National Tsing Hua University 401-500th.

The 2020 QS World University Rankings by Subject ranked the university: 84th in Engineering & Technology, 266th in Arts & Humanities, 401-500th in Life Sciences & Medicine, 101st in Natural Sciences, and 249th in Social Sciences & Management

Academics

College of Science

Interdisciplinary program of Sciences

Department of Physics

Department of Mathematics

Department of Chemistry

Institute of Statistics

Institute of Astronomy

Institute of Computational and Modeling Science

College of Engineering

Interdisciplinary Program of Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Department of Power Mechanical Engineering

Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management

Institute of Nano Engineering and MicroSystems

Institute of Biomedical Engineering

Institute of Space Engineering

International Graduate Program

Graduate Molecular Engineering Program

Graduate Program of Advanced Energy

IEEM Professional Master's Program

International programs

NTHU participates in the Bioinformatics Program of the Taiwan International Graduate Program of Academia Sinica, Taiwan's most preeminent academic research institution.

Campus life

Student clubs

There are more than one hundred student clubs serving diverse interests. Club activities range from community services, music and sports, cinema and theater, dancing and martial arts, religion and philosophy as well as scientific and academic interests.

Housing

There are eighteen dormitories on campus accommodating about 5000 students. Freshman, sophomore and most of the graduate students are allowed to lodge at dorms without drawing lots. The majority of NTHU faculty members are also living on campus.

Scholarships, fellowships, and financial aid

Scholarships and fellowships are awarded on a meritorious basis. Annually more than six hundred undergraduates and one hundred graduate students receive such supports. In addition, around four thousand graduate students are supported with teaching or research assistantships from academic units. For students with financial difficulties, the university provides student loans and emergency funds.

Health care and counseling services

A University Clinic, affiliated with Hsinchu Mackay Memorial Hospital, is located on campus where first aid and general medical services are provided.

The NTHU offers counseling service to students, faculty and staff members at the University Counseling Center. The clinic and the center not only provide services when needed and organize and present educational programs for all students.

Presidents

Mei Yi-chi: 1956–1962

Chen Ke-Chung: 1962–1969

Yen Chen-hsing: 1969–1970

Shu Shien-Siu: 1970–1975

Chang Ming-che: 1975–1981

Mao Gao-wen: 1981–1987

Liu Chao-shiuan: 1987–1993

R. C. T. Lee: 1993–1994

Shen Chun-shan: 1994–1997

Chen Hsin-hsiung: 1997–1998

Chung Laung Liu: February 1998 – February 2002

Frank Shu: February 2002 – February 2006

Wen-Tsuen Chen: February 2006 – February 2010

Lih-Juann Chen: February 2010 – February 2014

HoCheng Hong: February 2014 – February 2022

W. John Kao: February 2022 – present

Notable alumni and faculty

Humanities and Social Sciences

David Zweig: social scientist

Physical Science & Engineering

Ta-You Wu: physicist, the former president of Academia Sinica, the Republic of China (Taiwan)

Yu-Fen Zhao: CAS academician, Tsinghua University, Beijing, Xiamen University, a professor of chemistry

Chen Ning Yang: winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Academia Sinica academician

Tsung-Dao Lee: winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Academia Sinica academician

Yuan Tseh Lee: winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Academician of Academia Sinica, the former president of Academia Sinica, the Republic of China

H. T. Kung: Harvard University Professor of Computer Science, National Academy of Engineering USA

Typhoon Lee: Academia Sinica, director of the Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica academicians

Way Kuo: President of City University of Hong Kong, former Bell Labs expert, Academician of Academia Sinica,

Wei Shyy: President, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, China

Wen-Tsuen Chen: former president of NTHU, Taiwan

Nancy Tang Chang: co-founder of the U.S. biotech company Tanox, chairman, president

Fa-Yueh Wu: mathematician and physicist, Professor of Northeastern University