The Executive Yuan approved nine policies yesterday aimed at encouraging foreign and local technology professionals to work in the country, including a measure to build international communities in northern, central and southern Taiwan.
"We'd like to build an environment that is friendly and convenient for foreign technology professionals and local professionals who are working overseas so that they want to stay here and work for a long period of time," said Hsieh Fa-ta (謝發達), chairman of the Cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development.
Although the council has not yet hammered out the details, Hsieh said that nine counties and cities have already expressed an interest in building such communities in their jurisdictions.
While Taipei City plans to build such communities in Tienmu, Nankang, Neihu, Shihlin and Ta-an, Taichung City plans to build one in its science park and Kaohsiung City plans to build two communities, one in a trade park and one in a culture park.
Hsieh made the remarks after briefing Premier Yu Shyi-kun about the council's plan to end the nation's shortage of technology professionals.
According to Hsieh, the nation will see an annual shortage of an estimated 7,400 technology professionals with master's degrees between this year and 2011. However there is an estimated surplus of 15,950 technology professionals with bachelor's degrees for the same period.
To end the shortage, Hsieh said that the government will recruit professionals from abroad and provide courses to develop more expertise in the field.
"Our goal is to train more than 13,000 technology professionals and recruit 1,836 professionals from abroad by 2005," Hsieh said.
In a bid to create an environment more friendly to foreign professionals, the government will offer locally produced English-language news programs on cable and terrestrial television stations beginning Feb. 1.
The Government Information Office will pay NT$10 million to have contracted television stations produce English-language news programs. The 30-minute programs will be available seven days a week, either from 11pm to 11:30pm or 7am to 7:30am.
To satisfy the needs of technology professionals' children, the government has sent amendments to the Private School Law (
The amendments would allow private primary and secondary schools founded by ROC citizens to offer foreign-language courses or special programs, which can be attended by both Taiwanese and non-Taiwanese students.
The amendments, if approved by the legislature, will enable private schools to compete with Taiwan-based foreign schools, such as the Taipei American School, as well as stimulate the educational atmosphere at a time when more Taiwanese people are interested in learning foreign languages.
The government is also working on a way to pay foreign and local technology professors recruited from overseas the same salaries they would receive abroad.
Local academics and experts on vacation are also encouraged to come home to participate in short-term research projects and share their expertise.
To help college students majoring in technology-related subjects keep abreast of the latest trends, Hsieh said that the government has been encouraging teachers to use English as the medium of instruction.
The government also plans to start offering scholarships next year to doctoral or post-doctoral candidates studying technology-related subjects abroad as well as those who have passed national examinations for foreign study.
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