Long before the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College (BEST Program), National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) recognized the importance of bilingual education and began strategic planning. As early as Academic Year (AY) 2019, during the administrative consensus camp, the University identified a core institutional priority: becoming a Top 200 University Worldwide by 2030.
In 2020, the University launched the Program for Improving English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), not only expanding the number of EMI courses but also starting to offer all-English EMI programs and degree programs. Through these efforts, the University was designated a Key Cultivation University by the MOE in 2021 and was further designated a University-wide Benchmark University in 2024.
As of AY2025, the University offers a total of 22 undergraduate and graduate EMI programs (13 undergraduate, 6 master's, and 3 PhD), as follows:
Undergraduate EMI Programs and Degree Programs: The Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Photonics, Materials and Optoelectronic Science, Marine Biotechnology and Resources, Marine Environment and Engineering, and Biomedical Science and Technology, as well as the International Business Bachelor's Program.
Master's and Doctoral EMI Programs and Degree Programs: The International Ph.D. Program for Science, International Master's Program in Electric Power Engineering, International Master's Program in Telecommunication Engineering, Master of Business Administration Program in International Business, Global Human Resource Management English MBA Program, International Doctoral Program of Marine Science and Technology, master's and doctoral programs in the International Graduate Program of Education and Human Development, and the International Master Program in Asia-Pacific Affairs.
Guided by the core principles—"The University is Prepared, Teachers are Supported, and Students have Choices"—the University remains dedicated to a student-centered learning environment, cultivating international elites equipped with both superior English proficiency and professional expertise.