Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) yesterday told the institution's members that a new phenomenon called "cosmopolitanism" is emerging in academic circles. The Nobel laureate said that Taiwan's talented academics are becoming more and more "cosmopolitan" as they increasingly engage in research studies in other countries.
"In order for Taiwan to stay competitive in the newest wave of high-tech industrial competition -- as well as to attract top-notch talent from abroad and to keep them from leaving," Lee said, "there's an apparent need for a readjustment of our present skills-attracting system."
Lee made the remark yesterday during his opening speech of the 25th annual assembly of Academia Sinica members.
Lee told the members that one characteristic of globalization is that the high mobility of talented individuals "is especially true in the field of high-technology research -- a top researcher is often the hot property that many countries are fighting for."
"This has evolved into a situation of a new `cosmopolitanism' that makes nationalism seem like an outdated emotion," Lee said.
Whereas in the past many talented researchers used to go to the US, Lee said that nowadays several of Taiwan's neighboring countries are investing heavily to attract world-class researchers.
Noting this, Lee said that Taiwan needs to readjust its ideas [of nationalism's importance] and invest in attracting high-technology researchers in order to meet the demands of increased competition.
During his speech, Lee also expressed his delight at the record-high number of members taking part in this year's assembly. A total of 156 Sinica members, some who have traveled from abroad for this four-day assembly, were in attendance, as well as ranking officials from the government -- including Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), Premier Yu Shyi-kun and Minister of Education Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村).
While Sinica members held their opening ceremony, a press conference was being held by the body's researchers to announce their decision to found an union, called the Researchers' Union of Academia Sinica.
Chen I-shen (陳儀深), a researcher within the Sinica's Institute of Modern History and one of the 30 researchers who called for the founding of the union, said the union's mission is to re-evaluate the Sinica's position and purpose and to serve as an improved communication channel between the researchers and the Sinica.
"With the founding of the union, we hope to offer an open forum for all, where every voice can be heard," said Chen.
He added that the Sinica is not democratic enough, because lower-level workers get no chance to voice their views. He also said the research review system of the body lacks clear and definite standards and is not open and transparent.
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