National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), is a public research university located in East District, Hsinchu City, Taiwan. It was established on February 1, 2021, through the merger of National Chiao Tung University (originally founded in 1896, re-established in Taiwan in 1958) and National Yang-Ming University (founded in 1975). NYCU offers a comprehensive range of academic disciplines across the fields of science and engineering, medicine, and the humanities, and is organized into 20 colleges. [7]。
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) is headquartered at the Guangfu Campus in Hsinchu. The university operates with a dual main campus system: the Guangfu Campus in Hsinchu and the Yangming Campus in Taipei. NYCU also maintains several other campuses, including the Beimen Campus in Taipei, the Liujia and Bo’ai Campuses in Hsinchu, the Guiren Campus in Tainanand Kaohsiung, and the Lanyang Campus in Yilan, which houses the NYCU hospital. Including planned expansions in Shilin (Taipei), Qingpu (Taoyuan)[8], NYCU’s campus network spans ten locations across six cities and counties in Taiwan.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) is one of four universities—along with National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, and National Tsing Hua University—selected by the Ministry of Education for the Globalink Program under the Higher Education SPROUT Project. NYCU is also a member of the University System of Taiwan (UST), which includes National Tsing Hua University, National Central University, and National Chengchi University.
NYCU Guangfu campus north gateNYCU Yangming campus
The University Merger Process
1998–2002: The Origins of the Merger
The idea of merging National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) can be traced back to 1998–2000, although the earliest initiative toward integration was led by National Tsing Hua University (NTHU). At the time, National Yang-Ming University (NYMU), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and NTHU had already established long-standing collaborations in biomedical research. In 1998, then-NYMU President Luke S. Chang proposed the concept of a university merger to NTHU President David Chung-Laung Liu. On November 24, 1999, NTHU formally established a merger task force, led by Vice President Chen Hsin-Hsiung. Meanwhile, National Taiwan University (NTU) was planning to establish a hospital in Zhubei, sparking intense public discussion about healthcare accessibility in the Hsinchu area and creating a biomedical science park. Given that neither NTHU nor National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) had a medical school, and that NYMU was also interested in establishing a hospital, former NYMU President Ovid J. L. Tzeng, upon becoming Minister of Education (MOE) in 2000, quickly facilitated a consensus among the three university presidents. A federated “university system,” modeled after the University of California, was proposed. This system would include a joint headquarters and a new campus in Hsinchu, co-developed with the National Health Research Institutes while maintaining each university's existing campuses[10].
After years of complex and ultimately unfruitful discussions among the three universities, NCTU moved ahead with a merger independently with NYMU, while NTHU turned its focus to establishing a medical school in partnership with Mackay Memorial Hospital. On January 10, 2001, NCTU took the lead by having its University Affairs Meeting approve a letter of intent for the merger, using the proposed name "National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University" as the foundation for the merger plan[12]. In March 2001, NCTU President Chang Chun-Yen and NYMU President Yan-Hwa Wu Lee formally signed the letter of intent, confirming the proposed name. However, the merger was ultimately shelved due to insufficient NCTU's University Affairs Meeting support.
Although merger attempts among the three universities—or between any two—were unsuccessful, a broader social climate for university integration led NTHU, NCTU, NYMU, and National Central University (NCU) to form the “Song-Chu-Yang-Mei” alliance, which was officially approved by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in July 2002 as the University System of Taiwan[14].
Although the merger discussions around 2000 did not come to fruition, they planted the seeds for future integration. In 2015, several universities—including NTHU, NCTU, and National Chengchi University (NCCU)—renewed their interest in deepening collaboration and exploring merger possibilities with then-NYMU President Liang Kung-Yee. Considering the history of past discussions and the institutions' complementary strengths, Liang prioritized resuming talks with NCTU[15].
From September to November 2015, NYMU and NCTU convened joint merger working group meetings, reaffirming the proposed name for the merged institution: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. On December 9, NYMU’s University Affairs Development Committee approved the merger memorandum, followed by approval from NCTU’s University Affairs Meeting on December 16—officially restarting the merger process that had been dormant for over a decade[16].
Although the merger appeared imminent, inadequate communication left many faculty and students unaware of its background, leading to criticism of the administration’s lack of transparency and failure to provide advance notice. The backlash culminated in a press conference held by the NYMU Student Association on January 4, 2016—just before NYMU’s University Affairs Meeting on the merger memorandum—where they denounced the rushed and opaque process and called for its postponement[17].
Two days after the press conference, on January 6, 2016, NYMU held a University Affairs Meeting where, amid concerns from both faculty and students, it was decided to extend discussions to build a broader consensus. In response to criticisms of a lack of transparency, NYMU subsequently held ten forums between March and April to engage the faculty and students. Despite these efforts to advance the merger, early opposition culminated in the rejecting the merger memorandum at the May University Affairs Meeting, with 43 votes against and 38 in favor, failing to revive the merger[18].
2018–2021: The Last Mile Toward the Merger
Roughly a year after the failed merger, NYMU appointed alumnus and former Director-General of the Centers for Disease Control, Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo, as president. Kuo’s earlier openness to a merger with NTHU, combined with positive assessments from the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education SPROUT Project, helped create renewed momentum for advancing the merger.
In 2018, NYMU failed to qualify for the Global Taiwan Whole-School program under the Higher Education SPROUT Project. The evaluation cited the university’s relatively small size and biomedical focus, with a weak presence in science, engineering, and humanities, which restricted its potential to become an international top-tier institution. In response, the NYMU University Affairs Meeting authorized President Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo to convene the Mid- to Long-Term Strategic Planning Task Force. During the summer, the Task Force visited NCTU, NTHU, where the possibility of a merger was reconsidered as a strategic option for the university’s future development[18].
Based on the Task Force’s report, NYMU’s University Affairs Meeting on September 26 approved the initiation of the merger process, with NTHU and NCTU expressing interest in participation[20]. Learning from past setbacks, the administration resolved to ensure all merger steps were transparent, thoroughly communicated, and conducted with democratic principles. Strong inter-institutional exchanges were fostered through repeated visits by NTHU President Hocheng Hong and NCTU President Mau-Chung Frank Chang to NYMU, as well as a series of briefings and mutual visits among the three universities.
On November 28, NCTU’s Extraordinary University Affairs Meeting approved a unilateral letter of intent to merge with NYMU, reaffirming the name “National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.” This decision played a pivotal role in NYMU’s subsequent decision, a month later, to prioritize merging with NCTU[21].
On December 26, NYMU’s University Affairs Meeting voted to prioritize merger negotiations with NCTU, designating NTHU as a secondary option should talks with NCTU not succeed. NTHU expressed respect for the decision and extended its best wishes[22].
In 2019, NYMU and NCTU established Merger Working Committees that included student representatives to deliberate on the merger process. The first meeting was held on February 14, Valentine’s Day. On March 27, both universities formally approved the letter of intent to merge, which was submitted to the MOE the following day[23].
As NCTU President Mau-Chung Frank Chang's term concluded during this period, the university halted preparations for appointing a new president. Vice President Chen Sin-Horng assumed the role of acting president and alternated chairing the Merger Working Committee with NYMU President Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo[25].
On April 16, NCTU signed a letter of intent with the Taoyuan City Government to establish a national biomedical research center near Taoyuan Sports Park Station in Qingpu, to be jointly developed with NYMU. On June 2, NYMU announced a new “Physician-Engineer Program” in its School of Medicine, in which students would spend the first two years at NCTU—a step toward future interdisciplinary integration between the two universities[27].
By late August, the university name was finalized: “National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University”, initially abbreviated as “YMCT.” To align with the common naming convention for Taiwanese public universities—beginning with “N” and ending with “U”—the abbreviation was revised to “NYCU” the following year, with the hyphen removed. On September 18, both Schools’ University Affairs Meetings approved the merger proposal to be submitted to the MOE, with votes of 65 to 20 at NYMU and 59 to 15 at NCTU[30].
On June 24, 2020, the MOE completed its review and forwarded the merger plan to the Executive Yuan[31]. On August 12, NYMU and NCTU jointly announced that both institutions had approved the establishment of the new “National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University,” to be officially founded on February 1, 2021[32]. According to the “Merger Plan of National Yang-Ming University and National Chiao Tung University,” the total estimated cost of the merger was NT$9.5 billion—NT$6.5 billion to be self-raised and the NT$3 billion requested from the MOE. The MOE ultimately approved NT$400 million for basic infrastructure, while the remaining NT$2.6 billion, intended for a new construction project—including the Digital Health Building at the Yangming campus, was to be sought through the Executive Yuan’s public construction process[33]. This unresolved NT$2.6 billion has since drawn criticism surrounding the merger[34].
The merger committees continued discussing interim regulations and identity systems to establish a foundational governance framework and university affairs committees for NYCU. Although a new emblem[35][36] was not adopted, the first University Affairs Meeting confirmed 120 representatives, evenly divided between NYMU and NCTU, reinforcing the principle of equal partnership. The official campus location was determined by drawing lots, with NCTU’s original Guangfu Campus in Hsinchu selected as the designated site[37].
Li Yu-Chuan, Jason Yi-Bing Lin, and Lin Chi-Hung advanced past the first round in the presidential selection process. On January 10, 2021, the selection committee appointed Lin Chi-Hung as the inaugural president of NYCU[39].
On January 21, NCTU President Chen Sin-Horng and NYMU President Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo held a phone conversation from their respective offices in Hsinchu and Taipei via newly connected campus extensions, symbolizing the completion of physical integration in preparation for NYCU’s launch on February 1[40].
In anticipation of NYCU’s founding, NCTU announced its gate nameplate would be removed on January 25, 2021. The site quickly became a popular spot for farewell photos, drawing long lines of students and alumni[41]. NYMU’s nameplate was removed on the morning of January 29. Both universities agreed to preserve one of their original campus archways to commemorate their histories: NCTU's Bo'ai Campus arch and NYMU's main entrance arch[42].
After two decades of effort, the merger finally bore fruit. The achievement is credited to the leadership teams of NYMU President Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo and NCTU Presidents Mau-Chung Frank Chang and Chen Sin-Horng, whose coordination and negotiation efforts upheld a transparent and democratic process. This included open discussions at University Affairs Meetings, the launch of a dedicated merger website, numerous public forums, proactive press releases, and the active participation of students and alumni in decision-making. These efforts helped ease earlier concerns about a lack of transparency, even converting some student critics into supporters. The broader social and political environment also favored the merger, with strong backing from the Ministry of Education and President Tsai Ing-Wen, who emphasized its potential to cultivate Taiwan’s next generation of smart healthcare talent[44]. Nevertheless, a minority of NYMU alumni—including Tsai Duu-Jian, Lin Min-Che, and Wang Wen-Chuan—remained opposed, forming an anti-merger alliance out of concern that the university’s original mission might be diluted.
Following NYCU’s Establishment
On February 1, 2021, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) was officially established. Unveiling ceremonies were held that morning at the Yangming campus in Taipei, attended by Vice President Lai Ching-Te and former Vice President Chen Chien-Jen, and in the afternoon at the Guangfu campus in Hsinchu, attended by Hsinchu City Mayor Lin Chih-Chien and County Magistrate Yang Wen-Ke[45]. Inaugural President Lin Chi-Hung launched the “One Tree, A Hundred Fruits” initiative, to present a three-year roadmap within 100 days and unite the university community’s aspirations[46][47].
Dual Main Campuses
Following the merger, NYCU operated across the original main campuses in Taipei and Hsinchu, connected by shuttle services for faculty and students[48]. Although the expanded administrative structure was intended to improve efficiency, it sparked early criticism from faculty and alumni, who viewed it as bloated and detrimental to the university system[49][50]. It was not until the second year after the merger that the Provost position was eliminated. NYCU reverted to a streamlined governance model with one dean and two deputies per first-level administrative unit[51].
Academic
Colleges
College of Artificial Intelligence and Green Energy
The National Chiao Tung University (the predecessor of the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University) was considered one of the top-tier universities in Taiwan.
NYCU reached 401st-500th under The World University Ranking in 2024, 50th place in the world and 2nd in Taiwan under The Impact Ranking 2024, 49th place in The Young University Ranking in the world and 1st in Taiwan in 2024The QS ranking in 2025 is 219th in the world and the 4th in Taiwan.
Rankings by Subject/Area
QS rankings by subject 2023:
Subject (only subjects ranked within the top 300 are listed)
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