2016 ANNUAL REVIEW Ministry of Science and Technology

A. Funding Principles and Methods By supporting S&T research work at universities and academic research organizations, MOST's funding for specific-topic research projects serves to improve the country's research and development standards. All instructors and research personnel who meet MOST's specific-topic research project funding application requirements may, within a specified period of time, apply to MOST for research operation funding, equipment funding, or foreign travel funding based on the real needs of their research. Furthermore, in order to encourage long-term, in- depth research, MOST also promotes multi-year projects. After a specific-topic research project application has been accepted, a two-stage review process consisting of initial and follow-up review in the relevant field is performed. Review results are submitted to the MOST Service Panel for approval, and an applicant who disagrees with the results of review may submit an appeal. Project funding is generally disbursed in annual installments. If, during the implementation period, a project has needs that differ from those of the originally-approved project items or funding amounts, or if the project implementation period must be extended, change procedures shall be performed in accordance with regulations. An online project results report and final funding report must be submitted via the MOST website within three months after the end of the implementation period. B. Project Types Specific-topic research projects are classified as either individual or integrated projects. Individual projects focus on research in the applicant's area of specialization or on a topic proposed in MOST's discipline plan. Integrated projects include main projects and subprojects; the principal investigator of a main project generally organizes a research team to address one of the mission-oriented focal research topics laid out by MOST, and proposes an interdisciplinary or inter-university project, or organizes a team research project on some specific topic. C. Overview of Funding A total of 18,865 specific-topic research projects were implemented during 2016 (including 13,719 newly-approved 2016 projects, 3,320 second-year projects of multi-year projects approved in 2015, 1,780 third-year projects of multi-year projects approved in 2014, 45 fourth-year project of multi-year projects approved in 2013, and one fifth-year project of multi- year projects approved in 2012). Total implemented funding was NT$21.93 billion, of which 65.77% went for research at public universities, 19.99% went for research at private universities, and 14.24% went for research at government research organizations and other units. Basic research projects accounted for 52.11% of the total, applied research projects accounted for 37.05%, and technology development projects accounted for 10.84%. By research field, natural science projects accounted for 21.15% of the total, engineering and applied science projects accounted for 31.91%, life science/medicine/ agriculture research projects accounted for 25.92%, humanities and social science projects accounted for 13.46%, science education projects accounted for 4.14%, and other projects accounted for 3.42%. By research period, one-year projects accounted for 66.14% of the total, and multi-year projects accounted for 33.86%. Item 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Applications 29,856 29,484 28,870 28,542 28,136 Approved projects 14,831 14,265 13,890 13,913 13,179 Approval rate 49.68% 48.38% 48.11% 48.75% 48.76% Implemented projects 20,487 19,603 19,460 19,318 18,985 1 Note: Research projects in this table and the tables below include general research projects, projects for junior researchers, national research projects, and industry-academic collaborative projects. 1 Projects implemented in 2016 included projects approved in 2016, second-year projects of multi-year projects approved in 2015, third-year projects of multi-year projects approved in 2014, fourth-year projects of multi-year projects approved in 2013, and fifth-year projects of multi- year projects approved in 2012. Numbers of specific-topic research projects and approval rate, 2012-2016 Support for Specific-topic Research Projects Ⅰ MOST Ministry of Science and Technology Ministry of Science and Technology 26 2016 ANNUAL REVIEW