Nanjing University a center of Confucian thought and humanistic scholarship. During this period, Nanjing University was known as the foremost "Oriental Education Centre" and recognized as an academic and cultural exchange centre for east and west. Many scholars visited and instructed there, including the American educationist Paul Monroe, W. H. Kilpatrick, E. L. Thorndike, philosopher John Dewey, British philosopher Bertrand Russell, German philosopher Hans Driesch and the Indian (also Bengali) poet Rabindranath Tagore. The university became the capital national university after Nanking was made the capital by Nationalist Government, initially renamed National Dyisyi Chungshan University (or called National Nanking Chungshan University) in
Bertrand Russell Society (SSHAP). The Bertrand Russell Society has three aims (Bylaws, Article 2): The BRS motto is: "The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge." -Bertrand Russell (1925) "What I Believe"; cited from p. 349 in "The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell" (Routledge Classics, New York: 2009). Founded in 1974, the Bertrand Russell Society seeks to foster a better understanding of the life, work, and writings of Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) and how his contributions relate to today's world. The Society has a regular annual meeting featuring scholarly and popular presentations about Russell and related subjects, a business meeting,