Topping-Out Ceremony Marks Progress of International Dormitory
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) celebrated a significant step forward in its campus development on February 10, holding a traditional topping-out ceremony for the new Mandarin International Dormitory. University President Cheng-Chih Wu presided over the blessing ritual marking the completion of the building's primary structural framework. This development also signals that the building project is on schedule for its completion date in 2027.
Since construction began in 2023, the project on Wolong Street in Taipei’s Da’an District has acquired a total investment of approximately NT$730 million (about US$22 million). It will have 10 stories with three additional basement levels. The building will provide around 300 beds for students, along with underground parking for 110 cars and 160 motorcycles. In addition to residential space, there will also be eight classrooms, two seminar rooms, communal amenities, and open public areas conducive for living, learning, and cross-cultural exchange.
President Wu used the occasion to underscore the growing scale and ambition of NTNU's international vision. The University currently enrolls approximately 2,000 international degree students, representing 14% of the total student body and the highest proportion among all universities and colleges in Taiwan. Beyond its degree programs, NTNU's Mandarin Training Center draws nearly 10,000 language learners from more than 80 countries each year, making it one of the world's premier destinations for Mandarin language study. Currently, the majority of these students live in private housing off-campus, often encountering difficulties with language barriers, rental disputes, and the general challenges of settling into life in a foreign place.
The new residence is intended to address these gaps directly. Once operational, the International Dormitory will prioritize the housing needs of students pursuing international degrees or studying at Mandarin Training Center. Local students will also be eligible to apply, as the University strives to cultivate a campus filled with opportunities for daily intercultural interactions that enriches university life for everyone.
Former Vice President Charles Lin Tung-Tai, who played a central role in securing the project, reflected at the ceremony on the long road that led to this moment. With NTNU's campus space constrained by its urban location in central Taipei, acquiring a suitable site required years of persistent negotiation across multiple government agencies and sustained coordination with the Taipei City Government. The land in the prime residential neighborhood of Da'an was ultimately made available by the city on a no-cost-transfer basis, a testament to the shared vision between the University and municipal authorities for supporting international youth exchange and education.
Attendees of the topping-out ceremony signed their names on a structural beam before it was set into place, a symbolic gesture marking the building's passage from foundation to form. For NTNU, the residence is a concrete expression of the university's commitment to making Taiwan a genuinely welcoming destination for international students and language learners. The new facility, when it opens, will meaningfully strengthen NTNU's ability to support students from the moment they arrive, enriching their experience as well as deepening the international character of one of Taiwan's most globally engaged universities.