Imperial Academy (國子監) The grounds of Sanjiang Normal College were established on the site of the
Ming dynasty's first
Guozijian, usually translated as the Imperial Academy. The institution had moved with the
national capitals of the
various dynasties throughout
Chinese history but had originated under the
Wu Emperor of the
Jin dynasty, inspired by the royal schools of the
Three Kingdoms such as the one established in Nanjing under
Sun Xiu of
Wu in 258.
Sanjiang Normal College (三江师范学堂) (1902–1905) At the end of the 19th century, under the rule of the
Qing dynasty, the China faced domestic trouble and foreign encroachment culminating in the
Boxer Uprising of 1899 and the subsequent invasion by the
Eight-Nation Alliance of foreign powers. In the aftermath in 1901, the Qing government began a program of education reform, and in 1902 issued the "Imperially Authorized School Regulations" (欽定學堂章程), initiating the creation of a national school system led by
Zhang Baixi. On 30 May of the same year, the
Viceroy of Liangjiang Liu Kunyi submitted a document of preparing colleges to the Qing government, proposing to open normal college in
Jiangning (Nanjing). In February 1903, the successor Viceroy of Liangjiang
Zhang Zhidong submitted a proposal to open
Sanjiang Normal College to government, and authorize
Miao Quansun as a representative to Japan for investigation, who later was nominated as the inspector of Sanjiang Normal College and responsible for the project preparation. In September 1903, Sanjiang Normal College officially opened.
Liangjiang Normal College (两江师范学堂) (1905–1911) Due to the ambiguous meaning of the college name which led to several disputes, the Sanjiang Normal College was named as Liangjiang Normal College in 1905. The year after,
Li Ruiqing 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 outbreak of
Xinhai Revolution, Liangjiang Normal College was almost closed.
National Nanjing Higher Normal School (南京高等师范学校) (1915–1923) On 15 July 1914, Governor
Han Guojun appointed
Jiang Qian as principal, who was responsible for the starting up of Nanjing Higher Normal School in the same site of Liangjiang Normal College. Jiang employed the US-educated scholar
Guo Bingwen as the dean of teaching, Chen Rong as the advisor, and sent both to Europe to investigate the education system and recruit teachers. On 10 September 1915, Nanjing Higher Normal School was officially started. In December 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. The Polytechnic Faculty was established by the school in 1916.
National Southeast University (国立东南大学) (1921–1924) In September 1918, Guo Bingwen was the president in the south division. On 7 April 1920, Guo proposed the foundation of the "Southeast University Preparatory Committee". In September, Guo 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 6 June 1921, the Board of Southeast University was established, Guo 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 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. Based on the Polytechnic Faculty of Nanjing Higher Normal School, the Engineering School of National Southeast University was established in 1921.
National Hohai Technology University (河海工程专门学校) (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 (国立中央大学) (1927–1949) In 1927, National Hohai Technology University along with several other schools merged with National Southeast University to form National Central University.
National Nanjing University (国立南京大学) (1949–1952) In April 1949, the
People's Liberation Army occupied Nanjing and the Nanjing Military Committee took over
National Central University. On 8 August 1949,
National Central University was renamed as National Nanjing University, and then Nanjing University in October 1950.
Nanjing Institute of Technology (南京工学院) (NIT, 1952–1988) In 1952, the
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 Engineering School (at the time, the biggest school) of Nanjing University and the engineering departments of University of Nanking, 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 (东南大学) (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. Since 2000, the name
Nanjing Institute of Technology is used by a different institution. In 2000, Nanjing Railway Medical College, Nanjing Higher Institute of Transportation and Nanjing Geological School were merged into Southeast University. ==Academic==