National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) is a public research university in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It's located in an area called Sizihwan. NSYSU is one of Taiwan's top research universities. It's also part of the Taiwan Comprehensive University System, which is a group of universities working together on research.

NSYSU is known for its excellent business and marine science programs. The College of Management is highly rated in East Asia. The College of Marine Sciences is the oldest and best in Taiwan. This university was the first big national university in Southern Taiwan. It was created to help Taiwan grow and develop. NSYSU is also known for its connections with government and businesses. Its teachers and staff often work with government officials and non-profit groups. The university also hosts special centers for studying Europe, America, and Japan. NSYSU is usually ranked among the top 4-5 universities in Taiwan. It's also often in the top 400-1000 universities worldwide. It has eight main colleges and many research centers.

History of NSYSU

How the University Started

In 1923, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who is known as the Founding Father of the Republic of China, started two important universities. One was a civilian university called National Kwangtung University. This university was later renamed National Sun Yat-sen University in 1926. The other was a military university. Both universities played a big role in Chinese history.

The original National Sun Yat-sen University was in Canton. But during the Second Sino-Japanese War, it had to move south. It moved first to Yunnan and then to North Guangdong. Finally, in 1945, it returned to its first campus in Canton. In 1949, the government of the Republic of China moved to Taiwan. Many of the university's former students also moved there.

Reopening in Taiwan

Administration Building

In the 1970s, Taiwan's economy grew very fast. People started paying more attention to higher education. To make sure education was strong in both northern and southern Taiwan, the government decided to build a new university in the south.

In 1980, Chiang Ching-kuo, who was Taiwan's president, approved the design for the new campus. The university was built in Sizihwan, Kaohsiung City. This is Taiwan's second-largest city area. Leaders visited universities in the United States and Japan to get ideas. They decided NSYSU would focus on advanced studies. They also learned how to build buildings that could stand up to sea winds.

When NSYSU reopened, it had four main study areas and two advanced study centers. It had 189 students. By 2002, Taiwan's Ministry of Education named NSYSU one of the country's top research universities. In 2011 and 2016, NSYSU received special grants to become an even better university. Since 2012, NSYSU has held joint meetings with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to work together on research. Famous scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, have visited the university. Today, NSYSU has 10 colleges and more than 10,000 students.

Campus Life and Location

NSYSU Windsurfing Club

National Sun Yat-sen University is in Kaohsiung City, which is Taiwan's biggest port city. 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. It's also unique because students can do water sports right on campus! All students at NSYSU need to show they can swim before they graduate. NSYSU also has friendly windsurfing competitions with Osaka University in Japan.

The university has a special partnership with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in the United States. Both universities are research-focused and located near the coast. They hold joint meetings every year. NSYSU was also the birthplace of Taiwan's first online bulletin board system. By 2030, NSYSU plans to become a university where most classes are taught in English.

Campus and Facilities

Sizihwan Campus

The main NSYSU campus is in Sizihwan. It's next to Kaohsiung Harbor and a military base. Mountains surround three sides of the campus, and the Taiwan Strait is on the other side. This makes it a very secure and beautiful location. The famous Sizihwan beach, one of Taiwan's top sights, is right on campus. The area has unique natural features like mountains, the ocean, and coral reefs. Besides university buildings, there's a seaside resort, a sports stadium, and a tunnel. There are also historic places from when Japan ruled Taiwan.

The campus is close to the city center but away from the noise. Only a few roads connect the campus to the city. These roads are close to the mountains and the sea, making the area challenging to get around. Students and teachers share the campus with lots of wildlife. You might see many Formosan rock macaques (monkeys), cockatoos, Pallas's squirrels, and Reeves's muntjacs (small deer). Sometimes, the macaques try to take food from students or get into dorms. The waters around 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, Prince Hirohito visited the Takao Port. He stayed in a new building called the Takao Mountain Guesthouse. This guesthouse was later taken apart. Today, the site is where some university staff live.

Sizihwan Tunnel: The Sizihwan Tunnel was finished in 1928. It connected Sizihwan to downtown Takao. Now, it connects National Sun Yat-sen University to the Hamasen area.

Sizihwan Guesthouse of Chiang Kai-shek: In 1937, the Imperial Japanese Navy built a two-story building. After the government of the Republic of China took over Taiwan, it became one of the guesthouses for President Chiang Kai-shek. He and his wife, Soong Mei-ling, often stayed there when they visited southern Taiwan. In 1980, the building was given to National Sun Yat-sen University. In 1999, it was named the Sizihwan Art Gallery. It became a Kaohsiung City Historic Site in 2004.

Other Campuses

Renwu Campus

A new campus is being built in Renwu. It will have three main areas for AI medicine, smart healthcare, and outdoor activities. This campus will have research spaces for different medical and biotechnology studies. The land for this campus was prepared in 2020.

Pratas Island Research Station

In 2012, NSYSU opened the Dongsha Atoll Research Station (DARS) on Pratas Island. This station is used for studying biology, ocean chemistry, and oceanography.

Sri Lanka Centers

NSYSU also has two research centers in Sri Lanka. These centers focus on environmental science and technology.

Academics and Research

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

Specialized Colleges

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

College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research
School of International Finance

University Research

National Sun Yat-sen University is known for its strong research. The "Asia Pacific Ocean Research Center" at NSYSU is a top center for studying the Kuroshio ocean current. It has the most advanced technology for generating power from ocean currents. The "Electronic Commerce and Internet Society Research Center" is also very important.

As of 2017, NSYSU had 68 research centers. Some of the most important ones include:

Asia Pacific Ocean Research Center
Electronic Commerce and Internet Society Research Center
Medical Science and Technology Center
Multidisciplinary and Data Science Research Center (MDSRC)
Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology

University Rankings

National Sun Yat-sen University is consistently ranked among the top 4 or 5 universities in Taiwan. It also ranks well globally in different university rankings.

University rankings (overall)
THE Asia	General	251-300 (2023)
QS Asia	General	80 (2023)

THE World	General	601-800 (2024)
QS World	General	505 (2024)
ARWU World	Research	601-700 (2023)

QS World University Rankings: In 2023, NSYSU was the 4th-ranked university in Taiwan.
Times Higher Education: In 2023, NSYSU was the 4th-ranked university in Taiwan.
Academic Ranking of World Universities: In 2021, NSYSU was ranked 7th among Taiwan's national universities. Its Mathematics program was 1st in Taiwan in 2015.

Eduniversal World TOP 300 Business School: NSYSU's maritime management program is ranked 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

NSYSU is ranked 24th worldwide (and 1st in Asia) for Maritime Management.
It is also ranked 91st worldwide (and 1st in Taiwan) for Health Management.

Government Think Tanks

NSYSU Siwan College

NSYSU hosts special offices for the US, EU, and Japan. These centers help with political and academic exchanges in Southern Taiwan. The "Lee Teng-hui Center for Governmental Studies" is also at NSYSU. It helps provide advice for government policies and social issues.

International Exchange

Every year, about 50 international students come to NSYSU to study. They often focus on management and business, and their classes are taught in English. They also learn about Taiwanese culture and Chinese languages. NSYSU also sends a similar number of students to partner universities abroad. The university has an active International Student Association that helps international students.

NSYSU works with other universities around the world. For example, it has an alliance with Middlebury College in the US. The College of Management also works with the University of Victoria and JKU Linz on a global program.

Notable Alumni

Chen Chu, Mayor of Kaohsiung for three terms

Su Jia-chyuan, 9th President of the Legislative Yuan

Many important people have graduated from NSYSU. These include:

Su Jia-chyuan, who was the President of the Legislative Yuan (like the head of Taiwan's parliament).
Chen Chu, who was the Mayor of Kaohsiung for a long time.
David H. Rowe, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the US.
John Lin, the Vice President of eBay.
Yuei-An Liou, a space scientist.
Huang Tien-mu, the chairman of Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission.

Honorary Doctorates

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

Name	Year	Reason
Lien Chan	1995	A politician who was the Vice-President of Taiwan.
14th Dalai Lama	1996	A spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Yuan T. Lee	1996	A chemist and Nobel Prize winner.
Robert C. Merton	1998	An economist and Nobel Prize winner.
Lee Huan	1999	A politician who was the Premier of Taiwan.
Gao Xingjian	2000	A writer and Nobel Prize winner.
Vernon L. Smith	2003	An economist and Nobel Prize winner.
Chi-Huey Wong	2007	A chemist and Wolf Prize winner.

Affiliated Schools and Alliances

Guoguang Laboratory School, National Sun Yat-sen University is a school connected to NSYSU.

University Alliances

NSYSU is part of the EUTW university alliance.
It is also part of the Taiwan Comprehensive University System.
NSYSU has an alliance with Kaohsiung Medical University.

Partner Institutions

NSYSU works closely with several universities around the world:

University of California, San Diego (UCSD), USA
Waseda University School of Social Sciences, Japan

Images for kids

Campus buildings and Sizihwan Bay

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