In the face of the rapid economic rise of China and India, the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said yesterday that human resources are the key for Taiwan being able to maintain its economic advantages.
CEPD officials cited the example of the US, saying that the US will double its expenditures on research and development (R&D) in the next 10 years. The US, whose R&D spending accounts for one-third of the world's total, is one of the most dynamic destinations for investment.
US R&D expenses in fiscal 2007 will rise to US$137 billion, up more than 50 percent from 2001, and the US government has also launched an action plan to boost US competitiveness by enhancing R&D abilities, innovation and human resources.
In the R&D field, the US has transformed from the PC industry, the Internet and communications technology to nanotechnology and new energy sources.
Meanwhile, the US will also train 70,000 high school mathematics and science teachers and hire 30,000 basic math and science professionals to teach in high schools.
In order to continually maintain its competitive edge, Taiwan should enhance its own R&D ability, create an innovative environment and bolster its human resources, the officials noted.
They pointed out that the government has budgeted NT$50 billion (US$1.5 billion) to implement its "elite universities in the world" program to bring one Taiwan university into the global top 100 within 10 years. In addition, under a 2005-2008 program, the government will send a total of 3,284 students overseas to study advanced technologies.
Moreover, the government is planning to set up a "National Education Academy" that will be responsible for drafting forward-looking programs to promote innovative education for key technologies, the officials said.
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