National Central University

For the historical National Central University in mainland China, see Nanjing University.

National Central University (Chinese: 國立中央大學; pinyin: Guólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué; abbreviated NCU; 中大; Zhōngdà) is a public research university based in Taiwan. It was founded in 1902 in Nanjing; initially located in Miaoli after moving to Taiwan, it relocated to Zhongli in 1962 and developed into a comprehensive university. NCU is the first university in Taiwan to research industrial economics^[3] and economic development (Taiwan's Consumer Confidence Index is released monthly by NCU).^[4] NCU is a member of AACSB.^[5] NCU is one of the six national universities in research selected by the Ministry of Education,^[6][7] organized into eight colleges.

National Central University

國立中央大學 (Chinese)
Former name	Sanjiang or Liangjiang Normal College (1902–1914) Nanking Higher Normal School (1915–1923) National Southeastern University (1921–1927) National Central University Graduate Institute of Geophysics (1962–1968) National Central University College of Science (1968–1979)
Motto	誠樸 (Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: shîn-phok; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sêng-phok)[1]
Motto in English	Sincerity and Simplicity[2]
Type	Public
Established	1902; 123 years ago (1902)[Note 1]
President	Jing-Yang Jou
Academic staff	746 (full time)
Undergraduates	5,743
Postgraduates	6,037
Location	Zhongli, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 24°58′06″N 121°11′34″E
Campus	Suburban
Affiliations	University System of Taiwan UAiTED
Website	www.ncu.edu.tw
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	国立中央大学
Traditional Chinese	國立中央大學
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ Kwet-li̍p Chung-yong Thài-ho̍k Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kok-li̍p Tiong-iong Tāi-ha̍k

History

Established in 1902 as Sanjiang Normal School, National Central University underwent a number of name changes, such as Nanjing Higher Normal School, National Southeastern University and currently, National Central University. It was based in Nanking, but after the Chinese Communist Party took control of the mainland in 1949, the National Central University was re-established in Taiwan in 1962 as the National Central University Graduate Institute of Geophysics in Miaoli County. The university's original site on mainland China has since became part of the campus of Nanjing University. In 1968, NCU moved to its current location in the Shuanglianpo (雙連坡) district of Zhongli, Taoyuan County (now Zhongli District, Taoyuan City) and was renamed the National Central University College of Science. In 1979, it was officially reestablished under the name National Central University. In 2003, NCU and three other national universities established the University System of Taiwan cooperative partnership. NCU is now a research-oriented national comprehensive university.^[8]

Location

The university's Taoyuan City campus is situated in the northern part of the island, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) away from the capital Taipei and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from Zhongli railway station. NCU campus is 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) away from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

NCU Lulin Observatory is located near Yushan National Park, in the southern part of Taiwan.

Academics

National Central University

Library

University rankings
Global – Overall
ARWU World[9]	901-1000 (2025)
QS World[10]	641–650 (2025)
THE World[11]	1001–1200 (2025)
USNWR Global[12]	1072 (2025)
Regional – Overall
QS Asia[13]	112 (2025)
THE Asia[14]	251–300 (2025)

NCU consists of eight colleges:

• College of Earth Science
• College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• College of Engineering
• College of Hakka Studies
• College of Health Science and Technology
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Science
• College of Management

Each college houses numerous research centers, such as the Center for Space & Remote Sensing Research, Hazard Mitigation & Prevention, Taiwan Economic Development, Biotechnology & Biomedical Engineering, and several boutique-style humanities centers. In total, the eight colleges contain 19 undergraduate departments, 48 graduate institutes, and 38 research centers.

The undergraduate population is represented by the Associated Students of National Central University (Chinese: 國立中央大學學生會; pinyin: Guólì Zhōngyāng Dàxué Xuéshēnghuì), founded in 1991.^{[citation needed]}

• 
  College of Hakka Studies
• 
  College of Science
• 
  College of Earth Science

International programs

NCU participates in the Taiwan International Graduate Program in Earth System Science of Academia Sinica, Taiwan's most preeminent academic research institution.

Notable alumni and faculty

• Chien-Shiung Wu, a famous particle and experimental physicist
• Peng Chi-ming, meteorologist and Minister of Environment
• Hwawei Ko, pedagogue and professor^[15]
• Hu Shih, professor, political theorist, and diplomat in the Republic of China
• Zhu Zhixian (朱智贤), child psychologist and professor

See also

• List of universities in Taiwan
  • List of schools in the Republic of China reopened in Taiwan

Notes

1. According to The History Evolution of National Central University (R.O.C. 26, 1937 CE) (《國立中央大學沿革史》 中華民國二十六年), it was founded in the winter of the first year of Yong'an reign (258 CE) during the era of Three Kingdoms. Since it was founded in CE 258, it had evolved and adopted different names in each dynasty or period in ancient China. It became a modern institution of higher learning in 1902 during Qing dynasty. Liangjiang Higher Normal School was closed in 1911 when the Qing dynasty was overthrown. In 1915 after the Republic of China was founded, Nanking Higher Normal School was established to replace the Liangjing Normal School. In 1949 when the Republic of China was replaced by the People's Republic of China in mainland, its name was changed from National Central University to Nanjing University, while the ROC reinstated the National Central University in 1962 in Taipei.