The National Cheng Kung University Museum has continuously committed to researching university history. From NCKU’s 80th anniversary “Back to Those Days” to the 90th anniversary “Archive Securely, Prosper Mutually” to its 91st  anniversary “United around One Torch, Stand Firm through Time as One,” history has always been the focus of the university’s anniversary ceremony. This year’s event is divided into two phases: a composition workshop on university history writing and a seminar concerning university history.

In the first phase of the event, NCKU’s university history writings were demonstrated through the form of a workshop. With the spirit of “archiving the university,” the session was designed in accordance with the NCKU History Collection issued for the university’s 90th anniversary. We worked in hope that the workshop may be a demonstration that triggers colleges and universities in Taiwan to brainstorm the possibility of university history writing. As the workshop struck a chord, not only did the participating universities exchange valuable experiences, propaganda on the solicitation of contribution for this university history seminar has also been made. 

For this seminar we hereby solicit papers related to university history. The collected materials will be categorized into three aspects and queries: “Theory─ What Kind of History and Memory Do We Need?” “Case Study─What Are the Stories to Be Told?” “Application─What Can We Do With University and Institutional History?” With these queries as subtopics, this university history seminar will take the practices of NCKU as a case study.

Although western and East Asian studies on university history are mostly based on topic research and the developmental history of various disciplines, there are still quite a few institutions dedicated to conserving school history. Their management systems are indeed worth taking note. Through inviting international scholars to share their experiences, we aim to discuss the difficulties and challenges of running a university history institute under Taiwan’s current limits and unique traits of rules and regulations.

Though this seminar is put into three distinctive sessions including thesis publication, collaborative writing on university history, and alumni guest talks, the sessions still share a mutual core value. As the opening event for the 91st anniversary of NCKU and the introduction to the initiation of the university’s 100th anniversary preparation concerning school history, we hope that besides presenting the university’s spirits and writings on university and institutional history, we may also respond to the diverse contemporary social issues with the university’s precious traditions.