National Tsing Hua University

For the university in mainland China, see Tsinghua University.
National Tsing Hua University
國立清華大學
Motto 自強不息 厚德載物 (Chinese)
Motto in English Self-Discipline and Social Commitment
Established Founded 1911,
Reactivated 1956
Type Public
President 陳力俊
Academic staff 599
Undergraduates 5071
Postgraduates 5194
Location Hsinchu City,  Taiwan
Campus Urban, 1.06 square kilometres (260 acres)
Affiliations AEARU, University System of Taiwan
Website (中文) (en)

National Tsing Hua University (traditional Chinese: 國立清華大學; simplified Chinese: 国立清华大学; Tongyong Pinyin: Guólì Cinghuá Dàsyué; Hanyu Pinyin: Guólì Qīnghuá Dàxué; Wade–Giles: Kuo-li Ch'ing-hua Ta-hsuëh; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chheng-hôa Tāi-ha̍k; abbreviated as NTHU) is one of the most prestigious universities in Taiwan. The university has a strong reputation in the studies of science and engineering. Times Higher Education - World University Rankings is107in the world. Engineering and Science are the best in Taiwan. There are now 7 colleges, 17 departments and 22 independent graduate institutes in the university. Many Taiwanese business and academic elites received their education in NTHU. The university also produced 12 academicians of the Academia Sinica and one Nobel prize laureate, Lee Yuan-tseh (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1986),[1] the first Taiwanese to receive the prize. The campus is conveniently located, neighboring several national research institutes and Hsinchu Science Park, the silicon valley of Taiwan. The close location strengthens the collaboration between the academia and the electronics industry.

Contents

Overview

After the Chinese Civil War, some academics and staff from the mainland's Tsinghua University created the National Tsing Hua Institute of Nuclear Technology in 1955 in Hsinchu, Taiwan, which later became National Tsing Hua University.

The two Tsinghua Universities are not affiliated with each other, but both claim to be successors of the original Tsinghua University. As a result of this dispute, both universities claimed to be the rightful recipient of the funds from the Boxer Rebellion indemnity that was used to start Tsinghua University. This indemnity was transferred to the university in Taiwan after the Nationalist government (KMT) retreated to Taiwan.

History

Further information: Boxer Rebellion Indemnity Scholarship Program

Since American Secretary of State John Hay suggested that the US$ 30 million plus Boxer Rebellion indemnity money paid to the United States was excessive, in 1909, President Roosevelt then obtained congress approval to reduce the Qing Dynasty indemnity payment by $10.8 million USD, on the condition that the said fund was to be used as scholarship for Chinese students to study in the United States. Using this fund, the Tsinghua College (清華學堂 Qīnghuá Xuétáng) was established in Beijing, China, on 22 April 1911 on the site of a former royal garden belonging to a prince.[2] It was first a preparatory school for students later sent by the government to study in the United States. The faculty members for 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.

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

During the Sino-Japanese War, the library lost 200,000 of a total of 350,000 volumes.[3]

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.

In recent decades, the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan has had increasingly close ties with the Tsinghua University on the mainland, and of all universities on Taiwan, the NTHU has arguably one of the strongest cooperations with universities in mainland China in terms of academic research, projects, and with the creation of programs such as the "Center for Contemporary China."[4]

Tradition

Meichu Tournament

Main article: Mei-Chu Tournament

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

We could trace the history of the Meichu Games to the 1960s. After the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University were both relocated in Hsin Chu, 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 Mr. 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 Game. At last, Prof. 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, Dr. Mei Yi-Chi, and Dr. Ling Chu-Ming.

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 various scientific and academic interests. While their interests vary, these clubs are all organized and run by and for students.

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 various academic units. For students with financial difficulties, the University provides student-loans and emergency funds.

Health Care and Counseling Services

A University Clinic,[5] affiliated with Hsinchu Mackay Memorial Hospital, is conveniently located on campus where first aids and general medical services are provided by a team of physicians and health care specialists at a very reasonable cost.

The NTHU offers various counseling service[6] to students, faculty and staff members at the University Counseling Center. The clinic and the center not only provide services when needed, but also organize and present educational programs for all students.

Academics

NTHU consists of 7 colleges, 17 departments and 19 independent institutes, with 600 full-time faculty professors, offering diverse disciplines and courses.

Presidents

Notable alumni

Humanities & Social Science

Science

Nuclear Science

Engineering

Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Biotechnology

Rankings

In 2010, an objective ranking of world universities by Times Higher Education[7] put National Tsing Hua University 107th overall in the world. 2010 also saw QS World University Rankings[8] put National Tsing Hua University 196th overall. The individual subject rankings from QS rankings were: 238th in Arts & Humanities, 67th in Engineering & IT, 197th in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 171st in Natural Sciences, and 256th in Social Sciences.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lee Yuan-tseh, Nobel biography
  2. ^ Su-Yan Pan (2009). University autonomy, the state, and social change in China. Hong Kong University Press. p. 68. ISBN 9789622099364. 
  3. ^ LOST MEMORY - LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES DESTROYED IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (Archived at WebCite)
  4. ^ Official website for National Tsing Hua University's "Center for Contemporary China"
  5. ^ http://140.114.42.17/www/page1_1-E.html
  6. ^ http://counsel4.mac.nthu.edu.tw/
  7. ^ "Times Higher Education World University Rankings". http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html. 
  8. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2010 Results". http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2010/results. 
  9. ^ http://www.topuniversities.com/university/443/nationaltsinghuauniversity

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