Southeast University - History

History

The Imperial Nanjing School, the highest educational institution of kingdom, as the predecessor, was founded in CE 258 in the period of the Three Kingdoms. The imperial school enjoyed the same campus with the current Southeast University since the 14th year of Hongwu reign (CE 1381) in Ming dynasty.

Sanjiang Normal College (1902–1905)

At the end of the 19th century, under the domination of Qing Dynasty, the Chinese society was under the situation of domestic trouble and foreign invasion. 1901, the Qing government began to reform under this situation, and in 1902 issued ‘The imperial rules for colleges’, and adapted the new modern education system. On May, 30th of the same year, the Liangjiang governor Kunyi Liu submitted a document of preparing colleges to the Qing government, proposing to open normal college in Jiangning (now: Nanjing). In February 1903, the following Liangjiang governor Zhidong Zhang submitted a proposal to open Sanjiang Normal College to government, and authorize Quansun Miu as a representative to Japan for investigation, who later was norminated as the inspector of Sanjiang Normal College and responsible for the project preparation. In September 1903, Sanjiang Normal College was officially started.

Liangjiang Normal College (1905–1911)

Due to the ambiguous meaning of the college name which leaded to several disputes, the Sanjiang Normal College was named as Liangjiang Normal College in 1905. The year after, Ruiqing Li was nominated as the principal, who closed the junior normal subjects, and added the public subjects, professional subjects, and also created the first hand-painting subject in China. Until 1907, there had already been Geography-History department, Chinese-Foreign Language Department, Mathematic-Physics- Chemistry Department, and Agriculture Department. At the end of 1911, due to the breaking out of Xinhai Revolution, Liangjiang Normal College was almost closed.

National Nanjing Higher Normal School (1915–1923)

On July, 15th, 1914, Guojun Han nominated Qian Jiang as the principal, who was responsible for the starting up of Nanjing Higher Normal School in the same site of Liangjiang Normal College. Qiang Jiang employed a U.S scholar Bingwen Guo as the dean of teaching, Rong Chen as the advisor, and sent both of them to the Europe to investigate the education system and recruit new teachers. On Sep,10th, 1915, Nanjing Higher Normal School was officially started. In Dec, 1919, Nanjing Higher Normal School formally recruited 8 female students and 50 more female visiting students, being the first school in China allowing both females and males to study together.

National Southeast University (1921–1924)

In September 1918, Guo Bingwen was the president in the south division. On April 7, 1920, Guo Bingwen proposed at the school meeting in the South high-division, in favor of the foundation of the "Southeast University Preparatory Committee.",based on the founder of a national university. In September, Guo Bingwen proposed to the State Council and the Ministry of Education to apply for the establishment of Southeast University, and in December it was approved. On June 6, 1921, the Board of Southeast University was established, Guo Bingwen as president, and the university was officially opening in September. In December, the school council decided that Nanjing Higher Normal School would be incorporated into the Southeast University. Southeast University, based on the foundation of Nanjing Normal Higher School, until 1923, had possessed arts and sciences, Education, engineering, agriculture, business totaling more than 20 lines in 5 subjects.

National Hohai Technology University (1924–1927)

In 1924, the engineering school of National Southeast University merged with the water conservancy school Hohai Engineering School to form National Hohai Technology University, with Mao Yisheng as president.

National Central University (1927–1949)

In 1927, National Hohai Technology University along with several other schools merged with National Southeast University to form the later National Central University.

National Nanjing University (1949–1952)

At the beginning of 1949, many professors refused to move the campus to Taiwan. In April 1949, the People Liberation Army occupied Nanjing and the Nanjing Military Committee took over the National Central University. On Aug, 8th, 1949, The name of National Central University was changed to National Nanjing University, until October 1950, the name was changed to Nanjing University again.

Nanjing Institute of Technology (NIT, 1952–1988)

In 1952, People’s Republic of China began a national adjustment of its colleges. In Nanjing, the adjustment was mainly on Nanjing University and University of Nanking. Nanjing Institute of Technology was formed in the original site of National Central University from the previous Engineering Department (at the time, the biggest department) of Nanjing University and Agriculture Department of University of Nanking, also including Chemistry Department and Electrical Machine Department. Later there were also some relevant subjects from Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, Shandong University, Xiamen University, Fudan University, and Private Jiangnan University merged into Nanjing Institute of Technology.

Southeast University (1988 – Present)

In June 1988, Nanjing Institute of Technology was renamed as ‘Southeast University’, starting to convert from a technology institute to a technology-featured comprehensive university.