行政院於2004年提出五年五百億的「邁向頂尖大學計畫」，目的培育出國際一流大學與頂尖研究中心，提升國家競爭力與高等教育表現。過去兩年，在此經費的挹注下，交大師生努力以赴，展現了不凡的爆發力。2008年2月4日，教育部公布第二階段頂尖大學計畫學校入圍名單，其中交大在未來三年獲得每年9億的輔助。
大學之所以稱為「大」，在於其本質之大，使命之大。大學發揮其功能，完成其理想時，則可成就個人、社會、乃至人類文明之「大」。在此認知下，交大未來三年的具體規劃及行動方案，將致力於全人教育、改進教學品質、建立頂尖研究中心、提昇學院基礎研究、健全校園基礎建設及推展國際化上。期望全校師生能夠群策群力，攜手邁向頂尖大學。
校長 吳重雨Over the past 50 years, National Chiao Tung University has devoted its academic accomplishments to the society with the unwavering efforts of our faculty, students, staff and alumni. Since 2006, under the support of a national higher education scheme, the MoE ATU plan (Ministry of Education, Aiming for Top University Plan), National Chiao Tung University has continued to build on its past greatness to advance its position among the world’s top universities. As the president, I am enormously proud of our outstanding faculty, students, staff and alumni, and I deeply appreciate all their endeavors in the past two years. As National Chiao Tung University will be subsidized with 90 billions NT dollars in each of the following three years, we are committed to promoting the quality of our teaching and research, to expanding the infrastructure, and to enhancing the university’s global visibility and its interactions with the world. This is the time for us to build further on present achievements. It is also the time for us to work together in determining the future direction of the University with your strong and generous support.
Chung-Yu Wu, President