SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The first direct image of a black hole,released in April 2019, is the result of an international collaborative project involving Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s foremost research institution. (Courtesy of Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, European Southern Observatory)
FACT FOCUS
- Taiwan is one of the world’s leading producers of information and communication technology products.
- World Economic Forum ranks Taiwan 13th out of 140 economies in the Global Competitiveness Report released in October 2018.
In April 2014, the National Science Council—the government’s
dedicated agency charged with advancing science and technology
development, supporting academic research and promoting the
nation’s three science parks—was reorganized and renamed as
the Ministry of Science and Technology. While continuing its
predecessor’s innovative measures and programs, the MOST,
with a new organizational structure, aims to focus academic
research on the needs of industry as Taiwan relies on science and
technology innovation as a key driver of economic growth and
national progress.
The success of Taiwan’s high-tech enterprises is largely
attributable to the government’s generous funding of applied
scientific development. With government support, the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the National Applied Research
Laboratories and the Institute for Information Industry all
played important roles in jump-starting the nation’s rise as a
technological powerhouse by conducting research, aiding the
private sector with R&D and exploring new technologies.
Supporting Innovation
ITRI has been instrumental in establishing several companies
that have gone on to command prominent positions in the global marketplace, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Co. and United Microelectronics Corp., which are among the
world’s top custom integrated circuit chipmakers. The institute’s
innovative prowess is best illustrated by the fact that in the
past 11 years it has won a total of 39 R&D 100 Awards, highly
prestigious honors given out by U.S.-based R&D Magazine.
The goal of III is to boost Taiwan’s global competitiveness by
providing a platform for digital transformation. The institute
conducts R&D on innovative ICT products and applications.
It also plays a key role in advancing ICT development in the
public and private sectors by serving as a think tank on related
policymaking and promoting talent cultivation. Over the past
three decades, more than 480,000 professionals have received
training through III.
Taiwan’s tech ecosystem provides an ideal environment for
global investors looking to establish a presence in Asia. Local venture capitalists, engineering service providers and technology
developers have extensive experience collaborating on cuttingedge
R&D. This is on display at Taiwan Tech Arena, a new hub
for innovation and startups that is attracting young entrepreneurs
from around the world. Bringing together accelerators, venture
capital firms and enterprises, TTA is a platform for global
exchanges and talent incubation. An estimated 100 partnerships
are expected to form through the hub each year, cultivating 2,000
entrepreneurs and increasing investment.
After years of dedication by the public and private sectors toward
developing technological expertise, Taiwan’s science parks are
now home to clusters of companies pursuing breakthroughs in
fields such as biotechnology, personal computing and peripherals,
integrated circuits, nanotechnology, optoelectronics, precision
machinery and telecommunications.
