On August 1, 2008, National Dong Hwa University integrated with the then National Hualien University of Education marking a new milestone for the University. The synergy effect of integration expanded National Dong Hwa University’s academic disciplines and strengthened its research. Regarding the history of the University, it could be traced from the two campuses in Shoufeng and Meilun.
National Dong Hwa University was founded in July 1994 with the planning stage started three years earlier.
In October 1991, the National Dong Hwa University Planning Office was established in Shoufeng, Hualien, by the Ministry of Education as part of its mission to foster the balanced regional development of Taiwan through the even distribution of higher education systems in the north, south, east and west of the island. Professor Paul Tzung - Tsan Mu was appointed to head the Office and led the development of plans for eastern Taiwan's first comprehensive university.
On July 1, 1994, National Dong Hwa University was formally inaugurated with Professor Mu serving as its founding President. After seven years of vigorous and unflagging commitment, Professor Mu resigned his administrative duties at the University in the summer of 2001. By then, National Dong Hwa University was established with four colleges, namely the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Sciences and Engineering, the College of Management, and the College of Indigenous Studies.
The College of Indigenous Studies was founded in August 2001. Being the first aboriginal school on ethnic studies in Taiwan, the College of Indigenous Studies was established with the mission of universalizing and internationalizing ethnicity issues, and serving as an epicenter for Taiwanese ethnic and Austronesian research.
On January 23, 2002, Professor Wen - Shu Hwang, who shared Professor Mu's mission of transforming a series of humble sugarcane fields into a distinguished university since the very beginning, was elected to serve as Professor Mu's successor. Under Professor Hwang's innovative leadership, the University continued to strive for excellent teaching, research and community outreach.
In 2004, the College of Marine Science was established in Pingtung as the fifth college of National Dong Hwa University. The establishment of the College was a pioneering act in Taiwan by combining the resources and expertise of a university and a prestigious museum, the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.
Taiwan Hualien Junior Normal College was founded on October 27, 1947, with Professor Fan - Jian Lin as the founding President. The College was located on Mount Hua Gang in Hualien City offering two - year and four - year normal classes.
In 1949, the Affiliated Primary School of Taiwan National Hualien Junior Normal College was established to provide a training ground for the College's students.
The earthquake in October 1951 badly damaged most of the school buildings and the restoration took almost two years to complete.
In 1958, a one year course was offered to the senior high school graduates. The typhoon in July 1958 almost wiped out all the school buildings and relocation had to be considered.
The campus site in Meilun was approved in June 1959.
In September 1960, the then Taiwan National Hualien Junior Normal College was relocated to the Meilun campus.
In July 1964, the College was renamed as Taiwan Provincial Hualien Teachers' College with Professor Sing - Ti Dai as the President.
Night courses were offered in 1965 to teachers for furthering their development.
In 1987, the College was renamed as National Hualien Teachers' College with the establishment of the Department of Primary Education, the Department of Language Education, the Department of Mathematics and Sciences Education, the Department of Social Education and the Division of Early Childhood Education. Professor Jia - Cong Bao was appointed as the President.
In September 1993, Professor Po - Chang Chen was selected as the President, the first selected in teachers' colleges to realize democracy on campus.
In 2005, the College was renamed as the National Hualien University of Education. Earning the reputation as one of the most prestigious teacher training and academic institutions in Taiwan, the then National Hualien University of Education conducted far - reaching research across a range of disciplines.
Prior to the integration, it had four colleges, namely, the College of Education, the College of Science, the College of Humanities and Social Science, and the College of Arts. Since founding, there were 12 presidents.
National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA) is an institution dedicated to public education and research of marine biology. Besides aquarium exhibitions, the museum also aims for survey, collection, preservation and study of marine organisms around Taiwan. In addition to basic scientific research, NMMBA strives for the development of marine biotechnology and related products as well. In the meantime, National Dong Hwa University has proposed the School of Marine Science in the Planning Book when the university was founded. Because of tight financial status of the government in the recent years, both institutions seek to utilize the limited available resources in a more efficient way. Indeed, the Ministry of Education has been encouraging integral consolidation of human resources and facilities among universities and academic institutions. NMMBA and the University consequently cooperated to establish the School of Marine Science in 2004, and began recruiting graduate students in 2005. With the superior facilities, numerous Ph.D.-level research fellows, and remarkable academic achievements of NMMBA, the School of Marine Science is of the potential to become a top academic institution dedicated to marine biology research. Although NMMBA and Dong Hwa University joint together to establish the School, both institutions still retain their own organizational independence and respective academic system. We believe that the School of Marine Science will make significant contribution to the fulfillment of national marine strategies, development of marine biotechnological industries, advance of marine biology research, and training of professionals in this field in Taiwan.
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