2016 ANNUAL REVIEW Ministry of Science and Technology

Manpower training statistics, 2011-2016 Item S&T personnel engaging in short-term research overseas Graduate Student Study Abroad Program Taiwan Tech Trek Ph.D. students Post-doctoral researchers 2011 273 185 66 254 2012 253 134 82 298 2013 257 160 65 289 2014 228 147 77 276 2015 236 143 95 282 2016 235 102 101 246 Units: person times B. Training of S&T Personnel In order to broaden the qualifications and international perspectives of domestic teaching and research personnel, and acquire the newest S&T knowledge from the world's leading nations, since 1960 the National Science Council—MOST's predecessor—has provided subsidies to S&T personnel wishing to study at foreign universities or perform research at foreign research organizations. Furthermore, to acquire new technology and knowledge from the leading nations, and in response to a drop in university and college students studying abroad, apart from encouraging outstanding young Ph.D.-holders in Taiwan to engage in post-doctoral research abroad, MOST has also instituted the "Graduate Student Study Abroad Program" to provide funding to in-school Ph.D. students wishing to participate in 7-12 month short-term research and study programs at prominent foreign universities and research organizations. In order to send selected outstanding domestic individuals to world-class public and private research organizations overseas, where they can study areas of science and technology urgently needed in Taiwan and receive training to become the human resources needed for Taiwan's future development, subsidies have been provided to mission-oriented teams seeking to study abroad since 2009, and guidelines for the granting of such subsidies were drafted in 2012. These subsidies have been issued to 87 projects since the program was initiated on a trial basis in 2009, and MOST provided such subsidies to 19 teams (involving 78 individuals) studying, performing research, and receiving training at 18 organizations in six countries, including the United States, in 2016. In addition, to encourage young persons of Taiwanese descent overseas to visit Taiwan and learn about the country's development, MOST and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission; Ministry of Health and Welfare; Environmental Protection Administration; Council of Agriculture; National Youth Commission, Ministry of Education; Academia Sinica; NARLabs; and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy have jointly implemented the "Taiwan Tech Trek" program. This program sponsors summer trips to Taiwan by youths of Taiwanese ancestry living abroad for the purpose of participating in internships at public and private organizations and enterprises. Twelve sessions of the Taiwan Tech Trek have been implemented from 2005 to 2016, and a total of over 3,000 trainees have participated. Support for Academic Research Ministry of Science and Technology 73