The College of Nuclear Science at National Tsing Hua University was established in 1973. At the time, it included the “Institute of Nuclear Science,” the “Department of Nuclear Engineering,” and the “Graduate Institute of Nuclear Engineering,” making it the only educational institution in the nation integrating both teaching and research in nuclear technology. In 1956, the Institute of Nuclear Science (INS) was the first and only graduate institute founded when Tsing Hua was re-established in Taiwan. In 1964, the Department of Nuclear Engineering was subsequently established, becoming one of the two earliest departments (alongside Mathematics) set up after the university’s return to Taiwan. From 1970 to 1975, INS temporarily stopped student admissions. In 1975, it resumed its master’s program, and in 1987 began accepting Ph.D. students. An undergraduate program was added in 1992, named the Department of Nuclear Science. Later, to better reflect the department’s teaching and research scope, it was renamed to the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences (BMES) in 2006, and the “Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences” was established in 2017. The Radiation Biology Institute began offering a master's program in 1977, followed by a doctoral program in 1989. In 1998, the institute was merged into the College of Life Science.

 

       The Graduate Institute of Nuclear Engineering launched its master’s program in 1970 and established a doctoral program in 1981. In the same year, the undergraduate department began enrolling two classes annually. Later, the Department and the Institute merged into the “Department of Nuclear Engineering.” In the mid-1990s, due to rapidly changing social and political dynamics, growing controversy over the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and rising anti-nuclear sentiment seriously impacted faculty morale and made student recruitment difficult. In response, the department was renamed to the “Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics” in 1995, and its teaching and research expanded to include engineering physics. In 1997, it was further renamed to the “Department of Engineering and System Science” (ESS). In 2005, in collaboration with Academia Sinica and the Institute of Physics, the department launched the “Taiwan International Graduate Program on Nanoscience and Technology,” mainly recruiting international students for doctoral research. Additionally, in 2008, the department collaborated with the Department of Physics and the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center to establish the Advanced Light Source Program for master's and doctoral students (discontinued in 2022). To meet the domestic demand for nuclear professionals and the global nuclear renaissance, the “Graduate Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science” was re-established in 2007 with a master’s program, and the doctoral program received Ministry of Education approval in 2008.

 

       Since the mid-1990s, nuclear science and technology education and research have remained the main goals of the College. The Department of Nuclear Engineering has focused on nuclear power plants and system science, the Department of Nuclear Science on health physics and radiochemistry, and the Institute of Radiation Biology on radiation biology research. The College has long emphasized the development of nuclear science and technology. However, after the 1997 name change of the nuclear engineering department, the goals of teaching and research were realigned to preserve the core areas of nuclear engineering while expanding into fields such as nanosystems, MEMS, plasma science, and systems engineering, highlighting interdisciplinary and diverse education and research in mechanical, electrical, materials, and engineering physics. The BMES department also adjusted its core areas—beyond traditional nuclear power and radiation protection, health physics and radiochemistry were integrated into biomedical optics, medical physics, and environmental science. Cross-disciplinary education in physics, chemistry, and biology is a key feature of its undergraduate curriculum.

 

       To cultivate interdisciplinary master's and doctoral students with solid academic backgrounds and modern concepts in energy development, green technology, and environmental ecology and health, the College established the “Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences” in the 2019 academic year (108th ROC school year). This institute focuses on sustainability and is organized around three major areas: “Analytical Chemistry,” “Ecology and Health,” and “Green Technology.” It collaborates with the National Health Research Institutes, Environmental Analysis Laboratories, and government agencies to actively engage in both teaching and research. It also supports the “Taiwan International Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Technology” under the University System of Taiwan to recruit international students and train globally competitive professionals in analytical chemistry and environmental technology.

       The “Undergraduate Program in Nuclear Science” was established in 2009 as a dual-specialty program. The first specialty integrates the College’s core curriculum in “Energy and Environment,” focusing on low-carbon green energy such as nuclear energy, solar cells, and hydrogen energy. “Environmental education” emphasizes a chemistry-based foundation and sustainable environmental issues. The second specialty allows students to select core courses from other departments at the university based on their interests or to complement their first specialty. There are 10 colleges and 40 fields available for selection.

        The College of Nuclear Science is closely tied to the “Center for Atomic Science and Technology Development.” Major equipment and technical personnel for nuclear science are managed by the Center. Major facilities include a 2MW pool-type reactor, Van de Graaff accelerator, tandem accelerator, iodine isotope production facility, 30,000 Curie cobalt irradiation field, and a personal dosimetry system. Currently, the Center has 2 Ph.D.-level researchers, 12 Ph.D.-level technical staff, and 19 other technical personnel. Originally part of the Institute of Nuclear Science, the Center became an independent university-level center in 1984. Before 1993, the director of the Center was also the Dean of the College. After 1993, the director has been separately appointed by the university president and the Center has been under the Office of Research and Development as a second-tier unit. The four divisions of the Center—reactor, isotope, health physics, and instrumentation—are third-tier units. Previously, the director and division heads were professors from the College, though in recent years, some have been replaced by Ph.D.-level staff from the Center. Since 2007, under Ministry of Education policy prohibiting divisions under second-tier units, these were renamed as “research groups.” The director is appointed by the university president. The “Radiation Protection Committee” is chaired by the Dean of the College, with the Center director serving as executive secretary.

 

       Graduates of the College have gone on to become leaders not only in nuclear science but also in other fields. Alumni have served as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Council, Directors of nuclear research institutes, and plant managers of nuclear power stations. Dr. Yuan-Tseh Lee, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (1986) and former President of Academia Sinica, as well as former NTHU President Wen-Tsuen Chen and Taipower Chairman Kuei-Ming Chen, are among the early alumni. Three alumni have also been elected to Academia Sinica. Many graduates also serve as professors in departments such as physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, industrial engineering, and economics at top universities both in Taiwan and abroad.