The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) yesterday officially unveiled its Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program, which aims to lower the entry threshold for new and innovative technologies in a bid to attract foreign investment.
The Executive Yuan on Nov. 6 last year approved the program, allocating funding of NT$300 billion (US$9.65 billion) from this year through 2033.
NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) yesterday said that semiconductors and generative artificial intelligence (AI) are two “driving forces” propelling humanity into a new industrial revolution.
Photo: CNA
The project aims to assist the industry to fully utilize technologies that combine semiconductors and generative AI, and explore new adaptation methods, Wu said.
With Taiwan’s knowhow in the industry, hopefully the project would attract international talent in the innovation and creative field, as well as foreign funding, he said.
Funding and efforts this year to develop a large-language model to boost Taiwan’s generative AI services are ongoing, the NSTC said.
The council said it hopes to establish its first overseas site this year to help foster talent and attract foreign professionals, adding that it would continue to develop research platforms so that Taiwan would be the go-to location for semiconductor design and training.
It also hopes to establish a one-stop pipeline for integrated circuitry design, wafer tapeouts, quality control and trial production of new products this year to lower the entry threshold for innovative ideas to attract more foreign investment, the council said.
Also yesterday, the NSTC said that it would inject NT$2.05 billion this year to continue fostering high-tech research, with another NT$15.66 billion planned through 2028.
The subsidies would be distributed in three ways: to encourage research talent, to help doctoral students conduct research and to build a more friendly research environment, it said.
Researchers would receive NT$20,000 per month, while assistants would get a 4 percent wage hike, it said, adding that the government is expected to provide NT$540 million in grants and scholarships.
About 16,000 people are expected to benefit from the government’s funding of the program, the council said.
To help with doctoral research, the council is planning to increase stipends for study in Taiwan and abroad, it added.
Academic research facilities would be asked to increase wages by 10 percent for researchers with a doctoral degree, it said.
The number of doctoral students eligible for scholarships of NT$40,000 per month would rise to 1,000 from 300, valid until the third year of their program, it added.
Expenditure for these endeavors is expected to total NT$1.51 billion, paid for entirely by the NSTC, it said.
The council would also work with the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of the Interior to help foreign professionals apply for residency and work permits, it said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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