National Cheng Kung University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Cheng Kung University

國立成功大學
Seal of National Cheng Kung University
Motto	窮理致知
Motto in English	Pursuit of truth through exhaustive reasoning
Type	Public research university
Established	1931
Endowment	641 million (2013)
President	Shen Meng-ru
Academic staff	1,584
Undergraduates	11,481
Postgraduates	9,771
Location	Tainan , Taiwan
Campus	Main campus in urban Tainan and satellite campuses in rural Tainan areas.
Colors	Red, Gray and White
Affiliations	Global research & industry alliance (Gloria) of Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China, Worldwide Universities Network, Taiwan Comprehensive University System, AACSB, Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan, UAiTED
Website	English, Chinese
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	国立成功大学
Traditional Chinese	國立成功大學
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guólì Chénggōng Dàxué Bopomofo ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄔㄥˊ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ Wade–Giles Kuo2-li4 Ch'eng2-kung1 Ta4-hsüeh2 Tongyong Pinyin Guólì Chénggōng Dàsyué Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kok-li̍p Sêng-kong-tāi-ha̍k

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU; Chinese: 國立成功大學) is a big public research university in Tainan, Taiwan. It's especially known for its programs in engineering, computer science, medicine, and design.

NCKU played a key part in Taiwan's amazing economic growth, often called the Taiwan Miracle. It helped Taiwan change from a farming society to an industrial one in the 1960s and 1970s. This helped Taiwan become one of the "Four Asian Tigers" – a group of fast-growing economies. For six years in a row, NCKU has been ranked number one in Taiwan for how well its graduates find jobs.

In 2005, Taiwan's Ministry of Education chose NCKU as one of seven top universities for a special project. This project helps universities become world-class research centers. Since 2006, NCKU has received a lot of funding each year because of its strong academics and research.

NCKU is also a founding member of the Taiwan Comprehensive University System. This is a group of four leading research universities in southern Taiwan. It's also the only university from Taiwan that is part of the Worldwide Universities Network.

University History

National Cheng Kung University first opened in January 1931. Back then, Taiwan was under Japanese rule, and it was called the Tainan Technical College.

After Japan handed Taiwan back in October 1945, the school changed its name a few times. In 1956, it became a provincial university called Provincial Cheng Kung University. It was named after Koxinga, a Chinese military leader. He was famous for driving the Dutch from Taiwan and starting the Kingdom of Tungning. Finally, in 1971, the university became a national university and was renamed National Cheng Kung University.

Wu Jin, who later became the Minister for Education, was the first president of the new National Cheng Kung University.

Exploring the Campuses

NCKU is located in Tainan City, Taiwan. The main campus is very easy to get to, right across from the Tainan Railway Station. NCKU has 11 campuses in total, covering a large area of 187 hectares in Tainan. These include the Cheng-Kung, Sheng-Li, Kuang-Fu, and other campuses, plus areas for student dorms.

National Cheng Kung University Main Library

On January 12, 2011, a special building opened: the Y. S. Sun Green Building Research Center. This building is amazing because it's the world's first green educational center. It's also Taiwan's first building that produces zero carbon emissions! It uses natural air flow, limited electricity, smaller windows, and energy-saving lights to be very eco-friendly.

How the University is Organized

NCKU has 9 main colleges, 43 departments, and 39 institutes. These colleges include Liberal Arts, Sciences, Management, Engineering, and Medicine. Each college has its own departments and institutes that offer programs all the way up to a doctorate degree.

The university currently offers:

• 42 programs for undergraduate students (first degrees)
• 74 programs for master's degrees
• 53 programs for doctoral degrees
• 17 master's degree programs for working professionals

Most classes are taught in Mandarin Chinese, but many are also available in English.

International Connections

NCKU has made 401 agreements with 251 schools and universities around the world. They have student exchange programs with 98 foreign universities. Some of these include famous schools like University of Southern California, Technical University of Munich, Leiden University, and Kyoto University.

In 2018, NCKU started special dual degree programs with KU Leuven and IMEC. This means students can earn degrees from both universities. They also signed an agreement with Purdue University for dual degrees and online courses. On May 21, 2019, TU Darmstadt opened its Asia office right at NCKU.

NCKU also takes part in the Taiwan International Graduate Program. This program focuses on interdisciplinary neuroscience and is run by Academia Sinica, Taiwan's national academy.

University Rankings

NCKU is seen as one of the top universities in Taiwan. It's often mentioned alongside National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. In 2014, the Japanese representative in Taiwan listed NCKU as one of the seven most well-known Taiwanese universities.

Global Rankings

Here's how NCKU ranks globally by different organizations:

• QS World University Rankings 2024: 228th
• Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023: 601–800th
• U.S. News & World Report rankings 2022-2023: 639th
• ARWU 2022: 301–400th
• CWTS Leiden Ranking: 218th

Subject Rankings

NCKU also ranks highly in specific subjects. According to QS World University Rankings by Subject in 2020, NCKU was among the world's top 150 universities in these areas:

• Civil and Structural Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Computer Science and Information Systems
• Chemical Engineering
• Engineering and Technology
• Materials Sciences
• Architecture
• Statistics and Operational Research
• Art and Design
• Environmental Studies

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) also ranked NCKU very well. In 2016, it was 76-100th in engineering. In 2015, it was 101-150th in computer science.

List of Presidents

Here are some of the people who have served as president of National Cheng Kung University:

• Wakatsuki Michitaka [zh] (1931–1941)
• Saburo Kousuke (1944–1945)
• Wang Shih-an [zh] (1946–1951)
• Yen Cheng-hsing (1957–1964)
• Hsia Han-min (1980–1988)
• Wu Jin (1994–1996)
• Michael M. C. Lai (2007–2011)
• Hwung Hwung-hweng (2011–2015)
• Su Huey-jen (2015–2023)
• Meng-Ru Shen (Since February 2023)

Famous Alumni

Many successful people have studied at NCKU. Here are a few:

• Lai Ching-te: Current President of Republic of China (Taiwan).
• Chang Chia-juch: Former Minister of Economic Affairs.
• Tze-Chiang Chen: An IBM Fellow and Vice President at IBM Research.
• Ken P. Chong: Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation.
• Chu Ching-wu: A physicist known for his work with superconductors.
• C. Y. Lee: The architect who designed Taipei 101, one of the world's tallest buildings.
• Lung Ying-tai: Former Minister of Culture.
• Mao Chi-kuo: Former Premier of the Republic of China.
• Samuel C. C. Ting: A Nobel Prize winner in Physics.
• Wang Chien-shien: Former President of the Control Yuan (a government branch in Taiwan).
• Wu Po-hsiung: Former Mayor of Taipei and Chairman of the Kuomintang political party.
• Chen Liang-gee: Former Minister of Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan).

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Nacional Cheng Kung para niños

• National Cheng Kung University Hospital
• Taiwan Comprehensive University System
• List of universities in Taiwan