| National Dong Hwa University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Latin Name: | Universitas Nationalis Donghwa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top Free Label: | Founding Spirits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top Free: | "Freedom, Democracy, Creativity, Excellence" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | National (Public) Research university | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Endowment: | NTD 2.51 billion (2020) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President: | Han-Chieh Chao (IET Fellow, BCS Fellow) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice-President: | Chin-Peng Chu Hui-Mi Hsu Yuan-Ron Ma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Provost: | Shin-Feng Lin (IET Fellow) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Academic Staff: | 620+ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Students: | 10,350 (Fall 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Undergrad: | 7,975 (Fall 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postgrad: | 2,375 (Fall 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doctoral: | 412 (Fall 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City: | Shoufeng, Hualien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country: | Taiwan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Campus: | Shoufeng (Rural) Meilun (Suburban) Pingtung (Rural) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Free Label: | Newspaper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Free: | The NDHU Voice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sporting Affiliations: | University Sport Federation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports Free Label: | Varsity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports Free: | Thirteen Varsity Teams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mascot: | Formosan ring-necked pheasant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Module: |
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National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) is a national research university located in Hualien, Taiwan. Established in 1994, NDHU is widely ranked as Top 10% university in Taiwan by THE, QS, U.S. News, which offers sixth widest range of disciplines in Taiwan, including the sciences, engineering, computer science, environmental studies, oceanography, law, arts, design, humanities, anthropology, social sciences, education sciences, music, and business.[1] [2] [3] [4]
NDHU is renowned for its liberal atmosphere and internationalization, with the sixth highest proportion of international students in Taiwan. The university is organized into eight colleges, 44 academic departments, and 56 graduate institutes, enrolling around 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, including over 1,000 international students pursuing degrees and joining exchange programs.[5] [6]
NDHU is a member of six Taiwan's European Union Centre, a Think Tank for European Studies. With Taiwan's oldest school for Indigenous Studies, NDHU College of Indigenous Studies is among leading institutes of its kind in Asia.[7] [8]
NDHU has Taiwan's 6th highest endowment among national universities.[9] NDHU Library holds more than two million volumes and is eighth largest academic library in Taiwan.[10] The university's main campus is located in Shoufeng, in the northern half of Hualien County. Encompassing an area of, the main campus houses almost all colleges and research institutes except the Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, which is jointly founded in National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.
National Dong Hwa University was established in 1994 in Shoufeng. As the first Taiwan's university founded under the full democratization after the Martial Law and Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion were all lifted, NDHU set "Freedom, Democracy, Creativity, Excellence" as its founding spirit to reflect the notable timing of NDHU's establishment.[11]
With Mu Tzung-Tsann, the vice-chancellor of California State University, Los Angeles, as founding president, Dr.Mu immediately resigned from his tenured position at California State University, Los Angeles and gave up his US green card to establish National Dong Hwa University. Dr.Mu visited many reputable universities in United States to conduct NDHU's planning, including MIT, Stanford University, Princeton University, UC Berkeley, University of Virginia. Many senior executives of these universities joined NDHU's planning, including Alan Kreditor, Vice-president of University of Southern California.
NDHU attracted many notable Taiwanese scholars from universities in North America to co-found this university, such as Yang Mu, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at University of Washington, Cheng Ching-mao, Professor of East Asian Studies at University of California, Berkeley, Yang Tse, Professor of Comparative Literature at Brown University, Cheng Chih-Ming, Professor of Economics at Georgia Institute of Technology, Kuo Syh-yen, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at University of Arizona, Huang Chua‐Huang, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Ohio State University, Chiao Chien, Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington, Wang Philip, Professor of Recreation & Tourism Management at Kent State University, Wu Tiee-Jian, Professor of Mathematics at University of Houston, and Fu James, Professor of Statistics at University of Manitoba.[12] [13] [14] [15] [16]
In 2000, NDHU establish the first College of Indigenous Studies in Taiwan, which is commonly regarded as most leading institution for Indigenous Studies in Asia.In 2005, NDHU was in academic partnership with the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA), the most notable institution dedicated to public education and research of marine biology in Taiwan, to jointly establish the College of Marine Sciences and Graduate Institute of Marine Biology in Kenting National Park, Checheng, Pingtung.[17]
Prior to the merge with Hua-Shih, NDHU was the first university in Taiwan to offer degrees in Natural Resources Management (NRM), Environmental Policy (ENP), Tourism and Recreation Management (TRM), Kinesiology (KIN), Biotechnology (BOT), Ethnic Relations and Cultures (ERC), Indigenous Arts (INA), Indigenous Social Work (ISW), Ethnodevelopment (ENDEV), Creative Writing (CRW), Global Logistics Management (GLM).[18]
The National Hualien University of Education (Commonly known as Hua-Shih; Chinese: 花師) was one of Taiwan's oldest normal schools established in 1947 under National Government of the Republic of China in Hualien City as Taiwan Provincial Hualien Normal School (TPHNS) in response to the nation's reconstruction and development after World War II. In 1949, Hua-Shih established Affiliated Primary School of Taiwan Provincial Hualien Normal School to provide a training ground for the School's students, which cultivated the winner of Oscar Best Director, Ang Lee.
Followed the rapidly arising demand for teachers serving for compulsory education purpose, the school was renamed Taiwan Provincial Hualien Junior Teachers' College in 1964, National Hualien Teachers' College in 1987, and granted university status in 2005.
Hua-Shih was Taiwan's first institution to offer MEd and PhD in Multicultural Education, MA and PhD in Folk Literature, as well as one of four institutions in Taiwan to offer MS and PhD in Science Education.[19]
Prior to the merge with NDHU, Hua-Shih has cultivated many notable alumni, including Tsai Ping-kun, Principal of Jianguo High School and Taichung First Senior High School, Tang Chih-Min, Founding Principal of Affiliated Senior High School of National Chengchi University and Director of Department of Education of Taipei City Government, and Chang Ming-Wen, Director of Department of Education of New Taipei City Government.[17]
In 2008, with 2.5 billion support from Ministry of Education, National Dong Hwa University merged with the National Hualien University of Education into the university with 5th widest range of disciplines in Taiwan, and renamed the newly integrated College of Education into Hua-Shih College of Education in memory of sixty-year dedication of education by National Hualien University of Education.
Meanwhile, NDHU established College of The Arts as the first art school in Eastern Taiwan and College of Environmental Studies as the first college in Taiwan dedicated to sustainability and environmental management in interdisciplinary approach. In 2014, Maw-Kuen Wu took over as NDHU's president, who is the International Fellow of National Academy of Sciences and Distinguish Professor of Applied Physic at Columbia University.
During his presidency, Sunflower Student Movement was happened, Wu was first president among Taiwanese universities, publicly supporting the activist by announcing that:[20] In 2018, Chao Han-Chieh took over the 4th president of NDHU, who is the Fellow of Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Fellow of British Computer Society (BCS).
In 2020 anniversary day, NDHU signs the first "Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals" among Universities in Taiwan to announce its determination to sustainable world, and release the first GRI sustainability report.[21] In 2022, NDHU established Huilan College (洄瀾學院) and Rift Valley Interdisciplinary Shuyuen Undergraduate Program (縱谷跨域書院), the first undergraduate college and program in Eastern Taiwan.
The fully integrated NDHU consolidated its reputation in many disciplines and prestige in Eastern Taiwan, and reflected in its rankings and other accolades.[22] [23] [24]
National Dong Hwa University's three campuses are known for their natural settings.
NDHU's main campus, Shoufeng Campus, is situated in rural town of Shoufeng, Hualien. It is located in Papaya Creek Alluvial Plain of East Rift Valley, ringed by Central Mountain Range and Coastal Mountain Range, about south of Taroko National Park, south of Hualien City, and north of the Tropic of Cancer.[25]
NDHU's 251ha campus is Taiwan's largest flat land university campus, which was designed in postmodern style by Charles Moore, the dean of Yale School of Architecture.[26] [27] The Shoufeng campus is renowned for its distinctive architecture and natural setting. The academic area are on the center of the campus, containing library, art museum, concert hall, arts workshop, and academic & research buildings. The NDHU Concert Hall within the College of The Arts is the largest performing arts hall in Eastern Taiwan.[28]
The two dormitory communities are adjacent to academic area, one is on the east, the other on the west. The Athletic facilities surrounds academic area, including stadium, swimming pools, athletic field, baseball field, basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, kayak, and facilities for Project Adventure.[29]
In 2016, NDHU runs solar university project, constructing the first batch of rooftop photovoltaic solar panels. As of 2021, the solar energy covers 40% of NDHU's annual electric usage, which is the best ever performance achieved by any university in Taiwan.[30] [31]
The Meilun campus was the main campus of National Hualien University of Education before it was merged with NDHU. The 12.26ha campus is located in Hualien City's Meilun district near the Qixingtan Beach on the Pacific Ocean. In 2020, NDHU collaborated with Lee Yuen-Cheng, founder of Boston International Experimental Education Institution and an alumnus of NDHU, to establish the first international school within the campus, namely Hualien International School.[32] [33]
NDHU's Graduate Institute of Marine Biology is based at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA) in Chechung Township in Pingtung County, standing in Kenting National Park and facing the Taiwan Strait in the west. The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium is a well-known marine museum for academic research and marine education in Taiwan.[34]
NDHU serves over 10,000 students and confers undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in a comprehensive range of fields. The university is organized from its 39 departments and 56 graduate institutes into 8 colleges and over 70 research centers.
NDHU's supreme official is president, which is responsible for the overall operation of the university in a chief executive role. The president of NDHU is elected for a term not normally exceeding eight years by representatives from university, student, alumni, society. The president of NDHU appoints one to three vice-presidents and deans of administrative offices, including Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Office of International Affairs (OIA), Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and Office of General Affairs (OGA).[35]
The deans of college are elected for a term not normally exceeding 6 years, which are responsible for administration of the college-level affairs. The NDHU's College is governed by College Council, composed of the dean, the associate dean, heads of departments and graduate institutes, and current students.
NDHU's governing body is the university council, which oversees the academic policy and management of NDHU and the conduct of its affairs, and approves NDHU's long-term plans. It consists of president, vice-presidents, deans, heads of department, and current students. The university council was established to ensure that every aspects of the university have a continuing voice in the management of NDHU.
| Faculties and schools | Founded |
|---|---|
| Hua-Shih College of Education | |
| College of The Arts | |
| College of Huilan | |
Within these colleges are "departments" and "graduate institutes", which either represent one academic discipline such as Computer Science, or assemble adjacent academic disciplines such as the Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Studies.[36] [37]
NDHU College of Humanities and Social Sciences (; CHASS) was founded by Yang Mu, Professor Emeritus at University of Washington and Founding Dean at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. CHASS supports interdisciplinary academic training and research in the fields including law, economics, history, sociology, psychology, Taiwan and regional studies, public administration, creative writing, sinophone literature, Chinese language and literature, English literature, TESOL.[38] [39]
NDHU's M.F.A. in Creative Writing was the first and most recognized MFA program in Chinese-speaking world, which had cultivated many emerging outstanding literary talents in Taiwan.[40] [41] [42] [43] The college offers four PhD programs, Ph.D. in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCASL), Ph.D. in Asia-Pacific Regional Studies (APRS), Ph.D. in economics, and Ph.D. in Chinese Literature, and has over 10 research centers. The European Union Research Centre (EURC) is funded by European Union (EU) and one of the seven university centers allied with the European Union Center in Taiwan (EUTW) to facilitate European Studies and academic exchange between Eastern Taiwan and European Union.[44]
NDHU College of Science and Engineering (; CSAE) is founded by Hsia Yu-Ping, Chair Professor at California Institute of Technology and Yale University, as the two largest of 8 colleges within NDHU.
NDHU CSAE has 8 departments: Applied Mathematics (AM), Physics (PHYS), Chemistry (CHEM), Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine (BMM), Electrical Engineering (EE), Computer Science and Information Engineering (CSIE), Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Opto-Electronic Engineering (OEE). The college provides more than 40 degree programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.[45] [46]
In 2021, Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject ranked NDHU No.5 in Computer Sciences, No.8 in Engineering, and No.8 in Physical Sciences in Taiwan, the best ever position achieved by any university in Eastern Taiwan.[47] ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects ranked NDHU No.4 in Electrical & Electronic Engineering in Taiwan, which was only next to National Taiwan University (NTU), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), and National Tsing Hua University (NTHU).[48]
NDHU School of Management (; NDHU SOM) was founded as Graduate Institute of Business Administration in 1994. It has six academic departments and a graduate institute: Business Administration, International Business, Finance, Accounting, Information Management, Logistics Management, Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Studies (TRLS). The college offers degree programs– undergraduate, MBA, MIM, EMBA, MSc, PhD, and dual degree with oversea partner universities.[49]
In 2021, ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects ranked NDHU School of Management 101-150th in the world for Hospitality & Tourism Management, holding the same statue with Indiana University Bloomington, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Ottawa.[48]
Hua-Shih College of Education (; Hua-Shih) traces its roots back to Taiwan Provincial Hualien Normal School established in 1947, as Taiwan's first normal school after World War II and one of nine exclusive schools dedicated to early childhood and primary education in contemporary Taiwan. Hua-Shih was the first institution in Taiwan to offer MEd and PhD in Multicultural Education, which was the most recognized program in Taiwan. The college become one of eight colleges at NDHU in 2008. Nowadays, Hua-Shih offers over 20 programs- BEd, MEd, MSc, PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education, Educational Administration, Special Education, Physical Education and Kinesiology, Multicultural Education, and Science Education.[50]
The College of The Arts (; ARTS) is the first art school to be established in Eastern Taiwan, which is organized into three departments — Music, Arts and Design, Arts and Creative Industry.
The college offers over 15 programs, including B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A., into Creative Design, Studio Art, Indigenous Art, Visual Art Education, Creative Industry Management, and Taiwan's 1st PhD in Interdisciplinary Arts. NDHU ARTS also offer Bachelor of Music and Master of Music into nine majors — Piano, Vocal Music, Choral Conducting, Violin, Viola/Cello, Flute/Clarinet, Percussion, and Taiwan's 1st Jazz & Jazz Vocal majors.[51]
NDHU College of Indigenous Studies (; CIS) was first in Taiwan and most renowned institution for Indigenous Studies in Asia. Established in 2001, NDHU CIS traced its roots back to Graduate Institute of Ethnic Relations and Cultures in 1995, which was founded by Chiao Chien, Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington and Founding Chair of Anthropology at Chinese University of Hong Kong.
NDHU CIS was the first institution in Taiwan to grant degree in Ethnic Relations and Cultures (ERC), Indigenous Arts, Indigenous Development, Indigenous Affair, Indigenous Social Work (ISW), and Indigenous Language and Communication (ILC), which offering over 10 programs- B.A., B.S.S., B.S.W., B.I.A., M.S.S, M.S.W. Ph.D. in these disciplines. The International Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies was established in 2023 for overseas students who seek to discover knowledge and culture of Taiwanese indigenous peoples.[52] [53]
NDHU College of Environmental Studies and Oceanography (; CESO) was established in 2022 through the merger of College of Environmental Studies (CES) and College of Marine Sciences (CMS) to serve purpose of interdisciplinary trends of sustainability studies. The College of Environmental Studies (CES) was established in 2009 by merging five graduate institutes — Natural Resources and Management, Environmental Policy, Ecological and Environmental Education, Earth Science, and Biological Resources and Technology into a school of Environmental Studies. The College of Marine Sciences formerly was a graduate school at NDHU that was founded in 2005 as an academic collaboration with National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA) in Kenting National Park, which set the first record on academic collaboration between higher education and museum in Taiwan.[54]
NDHU CESO emphasize on interdisciplinary collaborative approach in solving environmental and marine issues with its two department and graduate institute — Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) and Graduate Institute of Marine Biology (IMB), and five research centers – Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Ecology and Sustainability (CIRES), Center for Disaster Prevention Research (CDPR), Environmental Education Center (EEC), Campus Center for the Environment (CCE), and Eastern Taiwan Earthquake Research Center (ETERC).
The college offers seven programs — BSc, MSc, PhD in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES), MSc in Marine Biotechnology, MSc in Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, and PhD in Marine Biology. NDHU CESO with College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) and College of Indigenous Studies (CIS) to offer MSc program in Humanity and Environmental Science (HES), the first in Taiwan.[55]
NDHU faculty and researchers have included one International Member of National Academy of Sciences (NAS), four Fellows of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), seven Fellows of Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), one Fellow of British Computer Society (BCS), one Fellow of American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), one Fellow of Optical Society of America (OSA). The university is ranked as 7th university in Taiwan with greatest research impact by CNCI Index, an evaluation undertaken by Ministry of Education (MOE).[56] According to SCImago Journal Rank, NDHU is ranked 5th most innovative academic institution in Taiwan and 332th in the world.[57]
According to Times Higher Education World University Ranking, NDHU is one of academic institutions with largest research impact for Computer Science (No.1 Citations in Taiwan, 149th in the world) and Engineering (No.3 Citations in Taiwan).[58] [59]
The University Ranking by Academic Performance ranked NDHU No.1 research impact in Taiwan for Information & Computer Science.[60] The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked NDHU No.5 in Taiwan for Electrical & Electronic Engineering (401–500 in the World) and No.5 in Taiwan for Hospitality & Tourism Management (101–150 in the World).
The SCImago ranked NDHU 5th for Oceanography, 7th for Plant Science, 8th for Aquatic Science, 8th for Medicine, 9th for Engineering, 10th for Geography and Planning.[61] NDHU's MSS in Ethnic Relations and Cultures was selected as a Fulbright Program for its Taiwan's leading research in Indigenous Studies, which is funded by U.S. government.[62] [63]
National Dong Hwa University Library stands as the tallest building on campus, offering a spectacular view of the main campus and the Huadong Valley. NDHU library holds over two million volumes in both Chinese and foreign languages, is eighth largest academic library in Taiwan. The university library is one of only two legal deposit university libraries, alongside National Taiwan University, entitling it to request a free copy of every book published in Taiwan and Nationalist publications.[64]
The library is regarded as the Pinnacle of Academia, emphasizing the value of knowledge and freedom. This is reflected in a motto often heard on campus: "Academics should be the highest temple of a university, not a place where power prevails over knowledge." This motto underscores the core values of academic freedom, which views knowledge and freedom as the soul and essence of the university.[65]
In addition to the University Library and its dependents, it has several specialized libraries; for example, the Yang Mu Library, established in 2016 in honor of the renowned literary figure Yang Mu, which was a gift from Tzu-Hsien Tung, Co-founder of ASUS, and houses all collections of Yang Mu's books, rare poetry collections, and manuscripts from the University of Washington, HKUST, Academia Sinica, and his own home.[66] The Sinology Library was established in 2019 through donation from acclaimed sinologist Cheng Ching-mao, which houses a collection of over ten thousand Cheng's rare international and Japanese sinology books and historical materials.[67]
Admission to the undergraduate program, Rift Valley Interdisciplinary Shuyuen (縱谷跨域書院), is one of the most selective undergraduate programs in Taiwan. For the Fall 2021 program students, NDHU only accepted of 7.1% applicants.[68]
| Type: | National Dong Hwa University |
| Qs W: | 1001-1200 |
| Qs W Year: | 2022 |
| Qs W Ref: | [69] |
| The W: | 1001–1200 |
| The W Year: | 2022 |
| The W Ref: | [70] |
| Usnwr W: | 1303 |
| Usnwr W Year: | 2022 |
| Usnwr W Ref: | [71] |
| Rur W: | 787 |
| Rur W Year: | 2022 |
| Rur W Ref: | [72] |
| Qs Asia: | 301–350 |
| Qs Asia Year: | 2022 |
| The Asia: | 301–350 |
| The Asia Year: | 2022 |
| The W Young: | 301–350 |
| The W Young Year: | 2022 |
| Arwu W Tourism: | 101–150 |
| Arwu W Tourism Year: | 2021 |
| Arwu W Tourism Ref: | [73] |
| Arwu W Eng: | 401–500 |
| Arwu W Eng Year: | 2021 |
| Arwu W Eng Ref: | [74] |
| The W Cs: | 301–400 |
| The W Cs Year: | 2022 |
| The W Eng: | 601–800 |
| The W Eng Year: | 2022 |
| The N: | 12 |
| The N Year: | 2022 |
| Qs N: | 15 |
| Qs N Year: | 2022 |
| Arwu N Tourism: | 4 |
| Arwu N Tourism Year: | 2021 |
| Arwu N Eng: | 4 |
| Arwu N Eng Year: | 2021 |
| The N Cs: | 5 |
| The N Cs Year: | 2022 |
| The N Eng: | 7 |
| The N Eng Year: | 2022 |
NDHU is ranked No.5 in Taiwan and 332th in the world in Innovation Ranking by SCImago Journal Rank.
In 2021, NDHU is awarded as Top 5 high potential University in Taiwan and 251–300th in the world by Times Higher Education Young University Rankings.[75]
In 2020, NDHU is ranked No.10 in Taiwan by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. In terms of Research Citation and International Outlook, NDHU is ranked No.9 and No.7 in Taiwan by 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.[70]
In 2023, NDHU is ranked No.10 in Taiwan by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The university is ranked 67th in the world for SDG 7 and ranked 98th in the world for SDG 15.[70]
NDHU was elected 7th of public university in "Top 10 Public Universities " published by Global Views Monthly (GVM; 遠見雜誌), which is Evaluated by all presidents of higher education in Taiwan.[76]
NDHU's Electrical & Electronic Engineering (E&EE) program in is ranked No.4 in Taiwan and 401–500th in the world by ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, which holding equal status as Rice University, University of Missouri, and University of Illinois at Chicago.[48]
NDHU's Computer Science program is ranked No.5 in Taiwan and 301–400th in the world by THE World University Rankings 2022 by Subject, which holding equal status as McMaster University, University of Florida, and University of Arizona. In terms of Research Citation, NDHU is ranked No.1 as the most influential university in Computer Science in Taiwan.
NDHU's Engineering programs are ranked No.7 in Taiwan and 600–800th in the world by THE World University Rankings 2022 by Subject .
NDHU's Hospitality & Tourism Management program is ranked No.4 in Taiwan and 101–150th in the world by ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, which holding equal status as University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Indiana University Bloomington, and University of Ottawa.[48]
NDHU was selected "Best 6 Universities in Humanity, Social Science, Law, Business (文法商) " by Global Views Monthly (GVM; 遠見雜誌), which is the best position for any university in Eastern Taiwan.[77]
For the 2022/23 academic year, NDHU had a total full-time student body of 10,000, consisting of 7,600 undergraduate students and 2,400 postgraduates. The male to female ratio for undergraduate students was approximately even at 1:1. In 2022, NDHU had one of Taiwan's largest international student bases, with 13.7% of the student body from 57 countries outside of Taiwan. NDHU boasts the largest number of students from Eswatini, Kyrgyzstan, Belize, Malawi, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, thanks to its exclusive partnership with the International Cooperation and Development Fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for computer science program. This partnership provides full scholarships to elite students from Taiwan's diplomatic allies.[78] [79] [80]
NDHU is a highly residential research university offering over 40 undergraduate majors and over 70 graduate degrees. NDHU introduced Taiwan's first Modular Curriculum Model, Learning Community Program, and Blank Credits Program. Many colleges of NDHU was selected into first round of "Key Bilingual Colleges" by Ministry of Education.
The four-year, full-time undergraduate program runs Taiwan's first modular curricula with low barrier for double major and minor.[81]
For 2022-year graduates, more than 40% and 20% of students obtained minor and double major degrees respectively, making it the second-highest and forth-highest university in Taiwan.[82]
In 2018, NDHU ran a learning community program, students can form interdisciplinary project-based learning communities with support of scholarship.[83]
NDHU introduced Taiwan's first "Brick Program" (Break / Redefine / Imagine / Catalysis / Kindle). It consists of 20 one-credit "blank courses" that are retrospectively recognized. Students propose their own topics and plan their learning, while teachers provide consultation and support. The practical learning process is not limited by semesters, and the acquired abilities and knowledge are not confined to a single discipline. Students can apply for credit recognition at any time during their studies and receive certification for learning achievements ranging from 1 to 20 credits.[84]
Some of the proposals participated in by NDHU students include: using art creation to promote practical actions on environmental issues, teaching an elective course at their own high school for younger students, promoting international exchanges through postcards, supporting reading and education for disadvantaged rural youth, and organizing the Hult Prize international competition.[85]
In 2022, NDHU School of Management and NDHU College of Science and Engineering were selected into first round of "Key Bilingual College" (雙語重點學院) in "Program of Bilingual Education for Students in College" (大學雙語學習計畫) by Ministry of Education (MOE) for its highly internationalized curriculum, faculties, and students, which received high funding for expansion of English curriculum and teaching.[86]
NDHU has 14 varsity teams, covering 11 sports disciplines, including track and field, swimming, basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, softball, baseball, table tennis, lacrosse, tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, and orienteering. The coaching staff consists of professors from the Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology and instructors from Physical Education Center.[87]
Chen Shih-Hsin, the first Taiwanese Olympic taekwondo gold medalist, served as NDHU's taekwondo coach, to train Olympic gold medalists.[88] Wang Cheng-Pang, first Taiwanese Olympic silver medalist for Olympic archery team, was NDHU's archery coach, to train next Olympic medalists.
In the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Games, NDHU achieved a record of 7 golds, 4 silvers, and 9 bronzes, ranking among the top five universities with the sport-related department. At the 2023 World University Games, multiple members of the NDHU Varsity Team were selected for the national team in track and field, swimming, and taekwondo.[89]
The Dong Hwa Corner Art Festival was firstly co-curated in 2014 by Tien Ming-Chang, Professor of Art and Design, and the “Corner Art Team”, a cross-disciplinary and intercollegiate team. The festival adopted the concept of “Corner, discover the beauty of art!” and collected hundreds of artworks from teachers and students across the NDHU. The artworks were displayed in every corner of the NDHU campus, with the main axis of “Living Museum” as the curatorial theme. A “NDHU Art Treasure Map” was designed to provide participants with a map to find the exhibits in various places, conveying the spirit of “art is around us”.[90] The above are the two major curatorial concepts of the “Dong Hwa Corner Art Team”. During the art festival, “Artist Lectures” were held, inviting artists from various places to share their creative experiences and communicate with the NDHU creators. The artists who participated included Taiwan’s contemporary female artist Wang Xiaoqing, Taiwan’s environmental artist Li Kaiti, Taiwan’s indigenous artist Zhang Enman and other creators.[91] [92]
NDHU International Cultural Night is an annual extravaganza, which is a grand arts festival brings together students from around the world who use music, dance, singing, and various other forms of expression to convey their cultures to the audience.
The NDHU International Cultural Night includes Taiwanese representative performance by the Indigenous Dance Troupe from NDHU College of Indigenous Studies. With the theme of the voices and dances of Taiwan's 16 indigenous tribes, the troupe presents the rich and diverse Taiwanese indigenous cultures, blending tradition with modernity through contemporary dance and showcasing their unique charm. It also features student performances from countries such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Indonesia. These students showcase the distinctive cultural features of their respective countries through their performances, including the songs and dances of the South Pacific island nations, African drumming and saxophone performances by Caribbean countries, and the poetry and dance of Mongolia.[93]
Beyond being a stage for performances, International Cultural Night also serves as a platform for cultural exchange. Through this event, international and local students have the opportunity to collaborate and deepen their understanding and friendships. Additionally, International Cultural Night invites students and teachers from nearby schools in the community, promoting interaction and communication between NDHU and its local community.
For International Cultural Night 2022, there are over 200 international students from 21 countries participated in the performances, and the host has students from Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Estonia, Belize, and exchange students from the University of Edinburgh, which showcases NDHU's internationalization and its emphasis on multiculturalism.[94]
NDHU has academic partnerships in teaching and research with more than 500 universities across the Americas, Asia, Oceania, Europe, Middle East and Africa, including University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, University of Nottingham in Nottingham, Uppsala University in Gotland, University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, University of California, San Diego in San Diego, University of California, Irvine in Irvine, Freie Universitaet Berlin in Berlin, University of Mannheim in Mannheim, University of New South Wales in Sydney, Korea University in Sejong, Yonsei University in Seoul, Tokyo Institute of Technology in Tokyo, Tohoku University in Sendai, Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Peking University in Beijing, Fudan University in Shanghai, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, and Lincoln University in Canterbury.[95] [96]
NDHU established over 10 dual degree programs throughout the world, including Dual-MSc (1+1) in accounting with Tohoku University in Japan, Dual-MBA (1+1) with University of Texas Arlington in United States, Dual-MBA (1+1) with ESC Rennes School of Business in France, Bachelor-Master (3+1) with University of Essex in UK, Dual-MA (1+1) with Hiroshima University in Japan, Dual-BBA (2+2) with University of Technology Sydney in Australia, Dual-PhD with Macquarie University in Australia, and Bachelor-Master (3+1) with Lincoln University in New Zealand.
NDHU is one of Taiwan's three universities at VIP Consortium (Vertically Integrated Projects Consortium), a global alliance of higher education institutions with Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) programs. The universities of consortium are across Europe, America, Asia, which was founded by several universities including University of New South Wales, Arizona State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, New York University, and University of Michigan.[97]
NDHU Chinese Language Center is one of Taiwan's greatest impact institutions in Mandarin education. The university is selected as first round of 10 Mandarin Education Centers in "Taiwan Huayu BEST Program" by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Ministry of Education (MOE) to jointly promote international cooperation program in Mandarin Education in United States and Europe.[98] The university runs two oversea Chinese Language Centers at Howard University and Oakland University in the United States to bring Taiwanese Mandarin education to the partner universities. NDHU is also selected one of nine universities in "Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Scholarship" by MOFA to expand academic cooperation and Mandarin education with European universities and selected one of five universities in "Africa Elite Talent Cultivation Program" with National Taiwan University, National Taiwan Normal University by MOE to expand Taiwan's academic impact and Mandarin education to African.[99] [100] [101]
NDHU further establishes academic partnerships with global research institutes, including Academia Sinica, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, National Academy of Marine Research, National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, Central Geological Survey, Central Weather Bureau, European Union Centre in Taiwan, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology in India, Polish Academy of Sciences in Poland, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences in China.[102] [103]
Less than 30 years, NDHU alumni have contributed to society in field of arts and sciences, business, sports, and public & international affairs.