National Sun Yat-sen University

In 1923, two years before his death, the Founding Father of the Republic of China (ROC), Dr. Sun Yat-sen, established two universities, one civil and one military. The civil university was National Kwangtung University (國立廣東大學, renamed National Sun Yat-sen University in 1926), and the military university was Whampoa Military Academy. Both universities generated remarkable contributions and played an important education role in modern Chinese history.

After National Sun Yat-sen University was established in Canton, it was forced south due to the Sino-Japanese War. The university moved first to Yunnan, and later to North Guangdong. Finally, in 1945, the university moved back to and resumed operations at its original campus in Canton.

In 1949, the government of the Republic of China moved to Taiwan. Its alumni expected the National Sun Yet-sen University (NSYSU) to be re-established in Taiwan, but appropriate timing didn't occur.

Administration Building

In 1970s, as Taiwan's overall economic development took off, also known as the Taiwan Miracle, the community's concern and attention to higher education grew. In order to balance the development of education in the north and south, the government decided to build a comprehensive university in the south.

In 1980, after Chiang Ching-kuo, the president of Taiwan and an alumnus of Moscow Sun Yat-sen University in USSR, personally approved the campus design, under the leadership of Dr. Lee Huan (who later served as the Premier and Minister of Education), the university was established in Sizihwan, Kaohsiung City, the second largest metropolitan area in Taiwan.

In order to establish the new university, government officials specially visited the United States and Japan and decided that the NSYSU would focus on graduate schools, refer to the medium-sized and advanced technology of California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the building construction method of the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) that can resist sea wind erosion. As for the management of university library, the system of the University of Tsukuba is introduced.[19]

In the first two decades, NSYSU, like each Sun Yat-sen universities, had a nationalist style and mission.

When NSYSU was re-established, the university had four departments, two graduate institutes, and 189 students. In 2002, NSYSU was named by the Ministry of Education as one of the country's seven major research-intensive universities. Two years later, the College of Management became the nation's first Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accredited public university. In addition, NSYSU received a first/second stage grant from the "Aim for the Top University Plan" from the Ministry of Education in 2011 and 2016.

Since 2012, NSYSU held the 1st "NSYSU & UCSD Joint Symposium" on international academic cooperation.[20] In the final two months of 2014, Nobel laureates Akira Suzuki and Hiroshi Amano visited the university.

NSYSU has 10 colleges, namely Liberal Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Management, Marine Sciences, Social Sciences, Si-Wan, Medicine, Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research, and International Finance. These colleges have more than 10,000 students.

In 2021, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) official statement affirmed that NSYSU, as one of Taiwan's top universities, is also an important promoter of US-Taiwan relations.[21]

Located alongside the Kaohsiung Harbor and a military base, the NSYSU campus is surrounded on three sides by mountains and also faces the open waters of the Taiwan Strait, thus making it a natural fortress. The Sizihwan beach (one of Eight Views of Taiwan) is located right on campus which makes the university campus a very attraction location in Taiwan.[26] The environmental characteristics are unique in the country, including the nature of the montane ecosystem, marine ecosystem, and coral reefs. In addition to the university buildings on the campus, there is also a seaside resort, a stadium constructed by land reclamation, Sizihwan Tunnel, and historic places remaining from the Japanese ruling era.

The campus is close to the downtown but far away from congestion and noise of the city. There are only four roads connecting the campus to the outside city, all the lanes are close to the mountains and the sea, and the terrain is challenging. NSYSU faculty and students live amongst a variety of wildlife. There are a large number of Formosan rock macaques, cockatoos, Pallas's squirrels, and Reeves's muntjacs, and the campus area is rich in natural ecology. However, a nearly daily occurrence involves macaques snatching food from students and breaking into dormitories and classrooms. In addition, the Sizihwan waters are inhabited by the endangered coral species Polycyanthus chiashanensis, with only about 50 remaining.[27][28]

Campus buildings and Sizihwan Bay

Takao Imperial Guesthouse before 1945

Imperial Guesthouse

From April 21 to 22, 1923, Prince Hirohito visited the Takao Port to inspect Kongō Maru. He lived in the Takao Mountain Guesthouse (打狗山賓館) a.k.a. Takao Imperial Guesthouse (高雄泊御所), which was newly built. In order to celebrate the birthday of Prince Hirohito on April 29, Den Kenjirō, the Governor-General of Taiwan, renamed the Kotobuki-yama Hotel (寿山館). After the Government of the Republic of China took over Taiwan, Kotobuki-yama territory became a military control district, and then Guesthouse was dismantled. The site is now a dormitory for faculty and staff of National Sun Yat-sen University.[29][30]

Sizihwan Tunnel

Sizihwan Tunnel was completed in October 1928, and it was called Kotobuki-yama Do (寿山洞), connecting Sizihwan of that time and downtown Takao. Currently, it connects National Sun Yat-sen University and Hamasen.

Sizihwan Guesthouse of Chiang Kai-shek

In 1937, the Imperial Japanese Navy built a two-story building named Takao Sightseeing Hall (高雄観光館). After the R.O.C. government took over Taiwan, it became one of Guesthouses of Chiang Kai-shek. President Chiang Kai-shek and his madame lived at the Guesthouse each time they traveled to southern Taiwan. In 1980, the building was transferred to National Sun Yat-sen University, and in 1999 it was given another name, Sizihwan Art Gallery. In 2004, the gallery was designated as a Kaohsiung City Historic Site.[31]

Renwu campus will be built on 24 hectares of campus, with three areas planned for AI medicine, intelligent health care and ecological recreation, provide research space for the Institute of Precision Medicine, the Institute of Biotechnology and Medicine, the Institute of Medical Technology, and the Institute of Biomedical Research. In December 2020,this Campus completed 24 hectares of land preparation operations, including base elevation adjustment, drainage facilities for detention ponds, tree clearing and greening, etc. The medical teaching building is planned to be a 1-floor underground building and 6-floor above ground building, covering an area of 3,160 pings. [32]

In 2012 NSYSU Dongsha Atoll Research Station (DARS) was established for biology, biogeochemistry, and oceanography research.[33]

The Taiwan and Sri Lanka Environmental Change Sciences and Technology Innovation Center (TS/ECSTIC) is located in Sri Lanka. The Western Long-term Observation Station is located at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in the capital; the Southern Long-term Observation Station is located at the University of Ruhuna in Matara.[34]

NSYSU has eight colleges:

• Engineering
• Liberal Arts
• Management
• Marine Sciences
• Medicine
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Si-Wan

NSYSU has two National Key Fields colleges established based on the special decree National Key Fields Industry-University Cooperation and Skilled Personnel Training:

• College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research
• School of International Finance

Despite its small-to-medium size, National Sun Yat-sen University has always had outstanding research capabilities. The "Asia Pacific Ocean Research Center" at NSYSU is a world-class Kuroshio research center, it possesses the most advanced marine current power generation technology worldwide.[35] The "Electronic Commerce and Internet Society Research Center" at NSYSU is the only social science research center in Taiwan that has been selected for the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme (FP7) SSH-NCP.

As of 2017, NSYSU had 68 research centers,[36] including the following most important key centers:

Top level

• Asia Pacific Ocean Research Center
• Electronic Commerce and Internet Society Research Center
• Large-scale multi-antenna system Research center
• Functional Crystalline Amorphous Complex Research Center
• Medical Science and Technology Center
• Centre for Humanities Innovation and Social Practices

University level

• Sun Yat-sen Research Center for Social Science
• Multidisciplinary and Data Science Research Center (MDSRC)
• Management Studies Research Center
• Engineer Technology Research & Promotion Center
• Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology
• Center for the Humanities

National Sun Yat-sen University has been ranked consistently among the top 4 or 5 universities nationally in QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and Academic Ranking of World Universities.

• QS World University Rankings

According to QS World University Rankings (2023), NSYSU is the 4th-ranked university in Taiwan (412rd worldwide).[40]

• Times Higher Education

According to Times Higher Education (2022), NSYSU is the 7th-ranked university in Taiwan (201-250th Asia; 810-1000th worldwide) and the 4th-ranked university (2023).[41][42]

• Academic Ranking of World Universities

According to Academic Ranking of World Universities (2021), NSYSU ranks #7 among Taiwan's national universities (601-700th worldwide).[39]

Mathematics: 75-100th, 1st in Taiwan (2015).[43]

Oceanography: 101-150th, 2nd in Taiwan (2020)[7]

Engineering: 101-150th (2016)[43]

Computer science: 151-200th (2015)[43]

Telecommunication Engineering: 151-200th (2020)[7]

• THE 100 Under 50 university rankings

According to Times Higher Education ranking of the 100 best universities under the age of 50 (2020), NSYSU ranks as the 6th university in Taiwan (201-250th worldwide).[44]

• THES - QS World University Rankings

According to the THES - QS World University Rankings, NSYSU ranks among the world's 500 best universities, ranked at 401+ (2009).

• Global Views Monthly Taiwan University Rankings

In the 2021 list, NSYSU ranks 6th among comprehensive universities.[45] In addition:

5th in social prestige

6th in industry-university cooperation

7th in internationalization

• Financial Times - Executive MBA Ranking

According to Financial Times (2017), NSYSU's Global EMBA programme ranked 69th in the 2017 Financial Times Executive MBA rankings,[46] the only ranked institution from Taiwan.[46]

• Eduniversal World TOP 300 Business School

According to Eduniversal,[47] among the ranked fields, NSYSU's maritime management ranks first in Asia.

Taiwan	Business School Level	2023 Recommendation Rate (per 1000)	School
1	UNIVERSAL	252 ‰	National Taiwan University - College of Management
2	TOP	164 ‰	National Chengchi University - College of Commerce
3	TOP	140 ‰	National Sun Yat-sen University - College of Management
4	EXCELLENT	104 ‰	Taiwan Tech - School of Management
5	EXCELLENT	60 ‰	Fu Jen Catholic University - College of Management
6	EXCELLENT	56 ‰	National Yang MIng Chiao Tung University - College of Management
7	GOOD	72 ‰	National Cheng Kung University - College of Management

• • 19th worldwide (2nd in Taiwan) in Public Administration/Management.[48]
  • 24th worldwide (1st in Asia) in Maritime Management.[48]
  • 91st worldwide (1st in Taiwan) in Health Management[48]
  • 6th in Far East Asia (1st in Taiwan) in Human Resources Management[48]
  • 9th in Far East Asia (1st in Taiwan) in Corporate Communication[48]
  • 15th in Far East Asia (1st in Taiwan) in Information Systems Management[48]
  • 23rd in Far East Asia in Corporate Finance[48]
  • 28th in Far East Asia in Executive MBA[48]

NSYSU Siwan College

The US, EU, and Japanese offices

Founded under the auspices of the United States government, European Commission, and Japanese government: the Sun Yat-sen American Center (est.1999), European Union Centre at NSYSU (est.2009), and Center for Japanese Studies at NSYSU (est.2010) are Southern Taiwan's only official office for political and academic exchanges.[49][50][51]

Lee Teng-hui Center for Governmental Studies

Named in honor of former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, the " Lee Teng-hui Center for Governmental Studies" established on February 1, 2017 (succeeding the "Dr. Teng-Hui Lee Political Economy Seminar," founded in 2002). The center serves as a regional think tank, with the purpose of providing prescient and integrated research or advice for governmental policies and social issues.[52]

Center for Market Research and Public Opinion Polling

The Center at NSYSU is the most important social science research center and public opinion survey unit in Southern Taiwan. The Center and National Chengchi University's Election Study Center are listed as Taiwan's two major university polling institutions.[53]

Every year there are about 50 international exchange students who come to study, primarily in management and business-focused areas taught in English. They also learn about Taiwanese culture as well as some varieties of Chinese language. The university also has a separate language institute where fee-paying students can study Taiwanese and Mandarin. There also are a similar number of out-going exchange students who travel each year to NSYSU's partner universities. NSYSU has an active International Student Association. In 2009-2010 well over 250 international students were members of the ISA association at NSYSU, participating in over 20 student events. ISA has five key points: Student Services, Public Services, Social Events, Sports, and Scholarship. The 2010-2011 International Student Executive Board will tentatively be elected in the fall of 2010 at NSYSU. The Office of International Affairs at NSYSU traditionally has monitored the election process.

Taiwan's first P.R.C. and Burkina Faso student to receive a doctorate are both graduates of NSYSU Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies.[54][55]

National Sun Yat-sen University and Middlebury College have formed an alliance to establish "Middlebury School in Taiwan."[56]

• EUTW university alliance
• Taiwan Comprehensive University System
• Alliance with Kaohsiung Medical University

• University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the United States
• Waseda University School of Social Sciences, Japan