National Taiwan University (NTU) plans to invest NT$2 billion (US$62.6 million) to launch two programs aimed at attracting and retaining top research talent, university president Chen Wen-chang (陳文章) said yesterday.
The funding would support the “Palm Grove Scholars Project,” which targets academics aged 40 to 55. Up to 20 scholars would be selected, each receiving as much as NT$10 million annually, Chen said.
The initiative is designed to attract leading researchers to Taiwan and strengthen NTU’s global competitiveness by fostering a more research-friendly environment and expanding international collaboration, he said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
NTU is also introducing a “Hong Hu” chair grant, which would
provide Palm Grove scholars with up to an additional NT$6.3 million per year. The programs would run for a maximum of 10 years.
Chen said the university’s talent retention efforts rely in part on donations from corporations and alumni, which fund housing, living support and research resources.
Such private funding offers greater flexibility and helps NTU remain competitive in the global race for talent, he said.
NTU provides funding, equipment and subsidies to attract academics. Between 2023 and this year, the college hired 243 faculty members, including 49 through the Yushan Scholar Program.
Launched by the Ministry of Education in 2018, the Yushan Scholars program offers internationally competitive salaries to attract high-
caliber researchers.
The NTU has sought to retain talent through flexible pay structures and by awarding distinguished professorships, Chen said.
Separately, the Ministry of Education yesterday announced a NT$6 billion subsidy program to help national universities improve global competitiveness and recruit top academics.
The ministry said the initiative aims to address comparatively low faculty salaries and an anticipated wave of retirements, about 20 percent, of university faculty expected to reach retirement age within five years.
The program would prioritize national universities that meet requirements under the Higher Education Sprout Project and submit five-year plans for sustainable talent development, it said.
Participating universities would be encouraged to prioritize research performance in hiring and recruit more international faculty, the ministry said.
Approved institutions must establish dedicated task forces and special accounts to ensure transparency in the use of funds and submit annual reports that would determine future funding allocations.
The subsidy program would run for 10 years, said the ministry.
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