National Chung Hsing University

National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) was founded during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and was originally called the Advanced Academy of Agronomy and Forestry. It has been through several name changes before it adopted its current name, which means “revival”, in 1971.

NCHU is regarded as one of central Taiwan’s top universities. It has eight colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Science, Life Sciences, Liberal Arts, Law, Engineering, Veterinary Medicine and Management.

From its founding until the present day, NCHU’s specialism has been agriculture, forestry and life sciences. A number of its facilities in these departments are unique in Taiwan, including the country’s only college of veterinary medicine. Research facilities belonging to the university can be found throughout Taiwan, including two farms and three forest stations.

Scientific research is a focus for the university. Some of its achievements include developing a vaccine for swine atrophic rhinitis, and breeding papayas that are resistant to the disease ringspot.

NCHU’s Art Centre has a collection of nearly 500 works of art, both Chinese and international.

Six of NCHU’s alumni from the Department of Applied Economics have gone on to become either minister or deputy minister of Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture.

Athletes can take advantage of the university’s extensive sports facilities, which include tennis courts, swimming pool, and a gymnasium. There are over 120 clubs at the university, including many sports teams, and a weekly course in ultimate Frisbee is popular among students.

The university campus is based in Taichung, one of the largest cities in Taiwan, located on the island’s west coast. Natural landmarks like the beautiful Sun-Moon Lake and Guguan hot springs are located nearby. In the evenings the city’s night markets come to life with traders selling local specialities like soup-filled dumplings and grilled squid.