Facts and figures

Taiwan boasts a favourable location, competitive economy, and talented scientific workforce^[1],[2]. It has more than 1.2 million students enrolled across nearly 150 higher education institutions^[3].

Recognized as a global leader in the IT, semiconductor, and electronics industries, Taiwan also excels in life science fields^[4]. It is home to several renowned clusters of excellence with academic and business organizations specializing in areas such as plant and animal science, precision medicine, medical technology, and clinical trials^[5].

In 2021 gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) was 3.78% of GDP^[6], one of the highest rates in the world.^[7] Business enterprise financed 84.2% of GERD expenditure^[8].

Major funding agencies include the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)^[9] and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA)^[10], which support academic researchers and SMEs respectively. Taiwan participates in over 100 international research cooperation programmes with more than 40 countries and several international organizations^[11]. These include joint research projects, joint conferences, facilities sharing, reciprocal visits, and information exchange. Research institutions have been active participants in the EU’s research framework programmes^[12].

There are diverse programmes to foster creativity and interactions between academia and industry^[13]. Taiwan implements strong intellectual property protections and patent safeguards^[14]. In 2021, 59,476 patents were granted^[15].