On July 27, the National Science and Technology Council (below referred to as “NSTC”) held an unveiling ceremony in which its first minister was announced. The NSTC’s first minister will be Tsung-Tsong Wu, who previously served as the Minister of Science and Technology. President Tsai Ing-wen, Premier Su Tseng-chang, and esteemed guests, which included members of industry, government, and academia, witnessed the formal establishment of Taiwan’s highest-level government agency for promoting science and technology research. Everyone in attendance highly anticipates NSTC, using a more efficient and broader perspective, to coordinate the allocation of resources across government agencies and bring important national science and technology policies to fruition.
Tsung-Tsong Wu: The person at the helm of NSTC’s overarching missions
Tsung-Tsong Wu stated that the establishment of NSTC means even greater responsibility for those involved. Through unlocking the fullest potential of the Executive Yuan’s science and technology policies, integrating budget reviews, and coordinating across agencies, NSTC will create new comprehensive national strategies for science and technology by prioritizing national development and societal needs.
NSTC will be positioned as the Executive Yuan’s decision-making body for science and technology, which will focus on coordination, integration, and continuing its four key missions.
By transforming the Ministry of Science and Technology and incorporating the Executive Yuan’s Board of Science and Technology, NSTC can take on functional roles such as being an integrator, coordinator, and a more effective and competent science and technology decision-making body for the Executive Yuan. NSTC’s new capabilities will coordinate resource allocation and effectively promote cross-government, cross-discipline science and technology projects. In addition, NSTC will continue to promote four key missions, which include “Formulating Science and Technology Policy,” “Supporting Basic Research,” “Establishing Science Parks,” and “Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” NSTC looks forward to leading Taiwan into the future by collaborating with other agencies in facilitating cross-government capacity integration and the creation of a highly effective system for administrative operations.
Strengthening NSTC’s four key missions to empower our existing projects. Launching comprehensive global strategies for science and technology.
NSTC will continue the Ministry of Science and Technology’s projects that are already in place and strive to strengthen its four key missions. This includes bolstering four areas; cross-government collaboration in comprehensive forward-thinking strategy, outstanding basic research that will make Taiwan an international science and technology frontrunner, the promotion of science park transformation, and the contribution and responsiveness of science and technology to actual societal needs.
In addition, NSTC will continue to increase support for excellent basic research, innovation and entrepreneurship, and training to develop a diverse pool of science and technology talent. On top of this, NSTC will strive to develop a research environment that fosters gender equality, ethnic inclusivity, and humanistic values. Moreover, NSTC’s science parks will continue to influence the development of Taiwan’s science and technology industry and unlock the fullest potential of scientific research to add value to industrial clusters. At the same time, NSTC will integrate Taiwan’s long-term established prowess in science and technology and apply these advantages in foreign affairs. In this fashion, NSTC can collaborate with partners around the globe, promote Taiwan’s accomplishments beyond its borders, and garner international attention.