page_title: National Taiwan Normal University
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: National Taiwan Normal University / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Tawian AMS Topographic Maps
context_page_description: National Taiwan Normal University, or Shīdà 師大. A top university in Taiwan and prestigious internationally, is an institution of higher education and normal school operating out of three campuses in Taipei, Taiwan. NTNU is the leading research institute in such disciplines as Education and Linguistics in Taiwan. NTNU was ranked 6th overall in Taiwan in 2018, was internationally ranked in the 308th spot in 2018 QS World University Rankings, 501–600th in 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and ranked in 900–1000th in 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities, and NTNU is widely recognized as one of Taiwan's comprehensive and elite higher education institutions. NTNU is affiliated with National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology as part of the National Taiwan University System. NTNU is an official member of AAPBS.
  The university enrolls approximately 17,000 students each year. Approximately 1,500 students are international.
context_section_description: National Taiwan Normal University opened its doors in the early 20th century during Japanese rule in Taiwan. Taiwan's Japanese governors established the school as Taiwan Provincial College. Soon after they gave it the name Taihoku College (Taihoku is "Taipei" in Japanese). The school's purpose was to nurture a native educated class qualified to assist the government in matters of administration. Many buildings on the university's main campus date from the Japanese colonial period, including the Administration Building, the Lecture Hall, Wenhui Hall and Puzi Hall. Japanese architects incorporated features of the Neo-Classical, Gothic and Gothic Revival styles often encountered on European university campuses. A room in the Lecture Hall housed the traditional Japanese document that authorizes and formalizes campus construction.
  In 1946 China's Kuomintang government assumed control of Taiwan and redefined the school as Taiwan Provincial Teachers' College. Some school publications still display 1946 as the institution's founding date in reference to this regime change. A number of Taiwan's leading authors, poets, artists, educators, musicians, and researchers have passed through the university's doors as students and faculty. In 1956 the Mandarin Training Center opened its doors as an extension of the college. The school acquired its present name, National Taiwan Normal University, in 1967. By now the school had established itself as a recognized center of learning in arts, literature and the humanities; its fundamental mission, though, remained the preparation of teachers.
  As Taiwanese society made its shift from authoritarian rule to democracy in the 1990s, the university saw its role transformed by passage of the 1994 Teacher Preparation Law. The law gave more schools responsibility for teacher training and set NTNU on its present course as a truly comprehensive university. New departments were created, course offerings and majors were expanded, and new faculty were hired. The university became a hub of international activity, enabling Taiwanese students to travel abroad, attracting international students to Taipei, and building exchange programs with dozens of sister institutions around the world.
caption: Map including National Taiwan Normal University (labeled as 'College' on HO-P’ING-TUNG-LU 和平東路) (1950s)
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