National Sun Yat-sen University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Sun Yat-sen University

國立中山大學  (Chinese)
The main entrance of NSYSU
Motto	博學、審問、慎思、明辨、篤行
Motto in English	Erudite, Interrogated, Deliberate, Discerning, and Persistent (taken from the Doctrine of the Mean)
Type	Public, Research
Established	Founded 1924 Reestablished November 12, 1980
President	Chih-Peng Li
Academic staff	614 full-time, 175 part-time
Undergraduates	5,040
Postgraduates	5,306
Location	Gushan District, Lingya District, Renwu District, Kaohsiung , Taiwan
Campus	Urban area Atoll
Affiliations	AACSB-Accredited APAIE AAPBS CFA EUTW PACIBER Taiwan Comprehensive University System
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	國立中山大學
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guólì Zhōngshān Dàxué Wade–Giles Kuoli Chungshan Tahsüeh Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kok-li̍p-tiong-san-tāi-ha̍k

National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU; Chinese: 國立中山大學; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kok-li̍p-tiong-san-tāi-ha̍k) is a public research university in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is known as one of Taiwan's top research universities. NSYSU is also special because it has important national centers for semiconductor technology and international finance. It is a main member of the Taiwan Comprehensive University System, which is a group of universities that work together on research. This group also partners with Germany’s TU9 universities.

The university has special accreditations for its business and finance programs. NSYSU works closely with the University of California, San Diego in the US and the University of Osaka in Japan. These three universities are all research-focused and located in big port cities.

History of NSYSU

How the University Started

In 1923, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who was a very important leader in China, started two universities. One was for regular studies, and the other was a military school. The regular university was first called National Kwangtung University. In 1926, it was renamed National Sun Yat-sen University after Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Both schools helped a lot with education in China at that time.

During the war with Japan, the university had to move south. It moved to different places before returning to its original campus in 1945. In 1949, the government of Taiwan moved to Taiwan, and many of the university's former students moved there too.

Reopening in Taiwan

Administration Building

In the 1970s, Taiwan's economy grew very fast. People started to care more about higher education. To make sure education was good in both the north and south of Taiwan, the government decided to build a big university in the south.

So, in 1980, the university was re-established in Kaohsiung City. This happened with the approval of Taiwan's president, Chiang Ching-kuo. Before building the new university, officials visited the United States and Japan. They decided that NSYSU would focus on advanced studies, like the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). They also used building methods from the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) to protect against sea winds.

For its first 20 years, NSYSU followed Dr. Sun Yat-sen's ideas. It focused on a nationalist style of education.

University Growth

When NSYSU reopened, it had only four departments, two graduate programs, and 189 students. By 2002, Taiwan's Ministry of Education named NSYSU one of the country's top research universities. In 2004, its College of Management became the first public university in Taiwan to get a special business accreditation called AACSB. The university also received important grants from the "Aim for the Top University Plan" in 2011 and 2016.

Since 2012, NSYSU has held a special meeting called the "NSYSU & UCSD Joint Symposium" to work with other universities. Famous scientists who won the Nobel Prize, Akira Suzuki and Hiroshi Amano, visited the university in 2014. In 2024, NSYSU was chosen to be one of Taiwan's four main bilingual universities.

Today, NSYSU has 10 colleges, including ones for Arts, Sciences, Engineering, and even Semiconductor Technology. More than 10,000 students study there.

Campus Life and Special Features

NSYSU Windsurfing Club

National Sun Yat-sen University is in Kaohsiung City, which is Taiwan's biggest port city. Because of this, the university focuses on studies related to the ocean and business. It was the first place in Taiwan to have a college for marine sciences.

NSYSU is also unique because students can do water sports right on campus! All students must show they can swim to graduate. The university even has regular windsurfing competitions with Osaka University in Japan.

NSYSU also has a special connection with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in the United States. Both universities are research-focused and located near the coast. They hold a joint meeting every year to share ideas.

The university was also where the first Chinese-language online message board started. By 2030, NSYSU plans to teach many of its classes in English.

Campus and Buildings

Sizihwan Campus

The main campus of NSYSU is in Sizihwan. It is next to Kaohsiung Harbor and a military base. Mountains surround the campus on three sides, and it faces the Taiwan Strait. This makes it a very beautiful and unique place in Taiwan. The Sizihwan beach, which is one of Taiwan's famous sights, is right on campus.

The campus has special natural features like mountains, the ocean, and coral reefs. Besides university buildings, there is also a seaside resort and a tunnel. The campus is close to the city but away from the noise.

Many wild animals live on campus, including Formosan rock macaques (monkeys), cockatoos, and Pallas's squirrels. Sometimes, the monkeys might try to take food from students or go into dorms! The waters near Sizihwan also have a rare type of coral.

Campus buildings and Sizihwan Bay

Historic Places in Sizihwan

Takao Imperial Guesthouse before 1945

• Imperial Guesthouse: In 1923, a Japanese prince named Hirohito visited Kaohsiung. He stayed in a newly built guesthouse. This guesthouse was later taken apart. Today, the site is where university staff live.

• Sizihwan Tunnel: This tunnel was finished in 1928. It connected Sizihwan to downtown Kaohsiung. Now, it connects NSYSU to another area called Hamasen.

• Sizihwan Guesthouse of Chiang Kai-shek: In 1937, the Japanese Navy built a building for sightseeing. After the government of Taiwan took over, it became a guesthouse for President Chiang Kai-shek and his wife. In 1980, it became part of NSYSU. It is now called the Sizihwan Art Gallery and is a historic site.

Renwu Campus

In 2022, NSYSU opened its Renwu campus. This campus focuses on new areas like AI medicine and smart health care. It has research spaces for different medical and biotechnology institutes.

Lingya Campus

The Lingya Campus is in the middle of Kaohsiung City. This campus is mainly for NSYSU's School of Medicine and is still being built.

Pratas Island Research Station

In 2012, NSYSU set up the Dongsha Atoll Research Station (DARS) on Pratas Island. This station is used for studying biology, oceanography, and how the environment changes.

Overseas Research Centers

NSYSU also has research centers in other countries:

• Baltic States: NSYSU works with the University of Latvia to study physics.
• Sri Lanka: There is a center for environmental science and technology in Sri Lanka.
• Tuvalu: NSYSU works with the government of Tuvalu on marine science and engineering.

Academics and Studies

NSYSU College of Marine Sciences old building

NSYSU College of Marine Sciences is adjacent to Taiwan Strait

Colleges at NSYSU

NSYSU has eight main colleges:

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

Special National Colleges

NSYSU also has two special colleges that focus on important national fields:

• College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research
• School of International Finance (located in the 85 Sky Tower)

Research at NSYSU

Even though NSYSU is not a huge university, it does amazing research. The "Asia Pacific Ocean Research Center" at NSYSU is famous for studying the Kuroshio ocean current. It has the most advanced technology for making power from ocean currents.

NSYSU also manages one of Taiwan's three research ships, the Ocean Researcher 3. A new research ship was built for it in 2019.

As of 2024, NSYSU had 45 research centers. Some of the most important ones include:

• Intelligent Electronic Commerce Research Center
• Center of Crystal Research
• 6G Communication and Sensing Research Center
• Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology

University Rankings

National Sun Yat-sen University is consistently ranked among the top 7 or 8 universities in Taiwan by different global ranking systems.

• QS World University Rankings: In 2025, NSYSU was the 8th-ranked university in Taiwan and 439th worldwide.
• Times Higher Education: In 2024, NSYSU was the 8th-ranked public university in Taiwan.
• Academic Ranking of World Universities: In 2021, NSYSU ranked 7th among Taiwan's national universities. It was also ranked highly for Mathematics, Oceanography, and Engineering.
• Round University Ranking: In 2024, NSYSU was the 5th-ranked university in Taiwan.
• THE 100 Under 50 university rankings: In 2020, NSYSU was ranked as the 6th best university in Taiwan that is under 50 years old.
• Global Views Monthly Taiwan University Rankings: In 2023, NSYSU ranked 5th among all universities in Taiwan. It was also ranked high for its social reputation and international connections.
• Financial Times - Executive MBA Ranking: In 2023, NSYSU's Global EMBA program was ranked 88th in the world.
• Eduniversal World TOP 300 Business School: NSYSU's maritime management program is ranked first in Asia.

University Partnerships

NSYSU is part of many university groups and alliances. These groups help universities work together on research and education.

• It is a member of the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT). This group includes 12 top universities like National Taiwan University.
• NSYSU is also part of the Taiwan Comprehensive University System.
• NSYSU has a special partnership with Kaohsiung Medical University. This allows students from both schools to take classes at either university.
• NSYSU is a member of several international alliances, helping it connect with universities around the world.

Key Partner Universities

NSYSU has strong partnerships with these universities:

• University of California, San Diego (UCSD), USA
• University of Osaka, Japan
• University of Gent (UGENT), Netherlands

International Cooperation

NSYSU has partnerships with 307 universities in 44 countries. It also has agreements for students to get two degrees or finish degrees faster at 30 overseas universities. Some of its partner universities include:

• In the US: University of Pennsylvania, UCLA, UCSD.
• In Japan: The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University.
• In Singapore: Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore.

NSYSU was chosen by the Ministry of Education to be one of Taiwan's four main bilingual universities. It also works with US universities like West Virginia University to teach Chinese language.

NSYSU and Middlebury College work together to run the "Middlebury School in Taiwan." The university also has programs with universities in Canada, Germany, and China.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US think tank East–West Center work with NSYSU on a leadership program for students from Pacific Islands. NSYSU also helps run the Taiwan Education Center in the Philippines.

NSYSU has a very active International Student Association. This group helps international students and organizes many events.

Important Government Think Tanks

NSYSU Siwan College

National Sun Yat-sen University is known for its connections with government and business. Its professors and staff often work as experts for the government and other organizations.

In 2021, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said that NSYSU is an important university that helps improve relations between the US and Taiwan.

• US, EU, and Japanese Offices: NSYSU hosts official offices for political and academic exchanges with the United States, European Union, and Japan. These are the only such offices in Southern Taiwan.
• Lee Teng-hui Center for Governmental Studies: This center is named after former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui. It helps provide research and advice for government policies and social issues.
• Center for Market Research and Public Opinion Polling: This center is very important for social science research and public opinion surveys in Southern Taiwan. It is one of Taiwan's two main university polling centers.

Notable Alumni

Chen Chu, former Mayor of Kaohsiung

Su Jia-chyuan, former President of the Legislative Yuan

Many important people have graduated from NSYSU. These include:

• Su Jia-chyuan, who was the head of Taiwan's parliament.
• Chen Chu, who was the Mayor of Kaohsiung for three terms.
• David H. Rowe, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the US.
• Many CEOs from big companies around the world.
• John Lin, who was a Vice President at eBay.
• Yuei-An Liou, a space scientist.
• Huang Tien-mu, who is the chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission.

Honorary Doctorates

As of June 2021, 24 people have received special honorary doctoral degrees from NSYSU. These degrees are given to people who have achieved great things. Some of the famous people who received them include:

Affiliated School

• Guoguang Laboratory School, National Sun Yat-sen University

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Nacional Sun Yat-sen para niños

• List of universities in Taiwan
• Taiwan Comprehensive University System
• Sun Yat-sen University (disambiguation)
• Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China