I.    Program Overview
To strengthen Taiwan's position in the current global competition for talents, meet the need for scientific research manpower in Taiwan, attract talents back to Taiwan from overseas, and support the government's forward-looking infrastructure development and industrial innovation policies, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) initiated the Leaders in Future Trends (LIFT 1.0) Program in 2017. With the goals of stimulating industrial innovation and fostering technological leaps, this program has sought to recruit Taiwanese talents studying and working aboard to contribute their expertise back to Taiwan.
Built on the foundation of LIFT 1.0, the 2020 LIFT Program 2.0 ("this Program") seeks to provide a platform for the establishment of connections between overseas talents and Taiwan’s industries, universities, and research institutes through both online and offline activities. Under this Program, qualified overseas talents will receive round-trip airfare and full subsidies for meals and accommodation in Taiwan. Arrangements will be made for participants to attend the "Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference," and they will have opportunities to meet face-to-face with domestic firms, universities, and research organizations with the goal of finding employment opportunities in Taiwan.
II.    Eligibility
1.    Applicants must be under 45 years of age (born after January 1, 1975).
2.    Academic and work qualifications (must be in one of the following four categories):
(1)    Possesses a doctoral degree from a foreign university listed on the Ministry of Education’s "Reference List of Foreign Universities" and has at least 2 years of paying work experience at the applicant's last job outside Taiwan. Higher precedence will be given to applicants with degrees/expertise in fields connected with the Ten Major Innovative Industries: green energy technology, biomedicine, smart machinery, national defense and aerospace, new agriculture, circular economy, DIGI+, cultural technology, IC design, and semiconductor industry.
(2)    Possesses a master's degree from a foreign university listed on the Ministry of Education’s "Reference List of Foreign Universities" and has at least 3 years of relevant overseas work experience in the field of artificial intelligence.
(3)    Possesses a doctoral degree from a domestic university, has at least 3 years of overseas work experience, and is still overseas at the time of application.

(4)    Applicants who are currently enrolled in an overseas Ph.D. program and plan to graduate before the end of 2020 may submit proof issued by the overseas university that they have passed their oral defense and dissertation review. Once they have received a doctoral degree certificate, applicants must submit a copy to MOST for review.
3.    Although applicants who possess the qualification listed in (4) above may apply to return/come to Taiwan for academic exchanges under LIFT 2.0, if they pass review, they will receive subsidies only for meals, accommodations, and transportation while participating in the 10-day 2020 "Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference," and will not receive a subsidy for their airfare to and from Taiwan.
4.    Individuals who have received other subsidies from MOST during the exchange period are not eligible to apply for this Program.
III.    Application Process
1.    Please apply via the LIFT Program website, where you will be asked to register an account and password: https://lifttaiwan.stpi.narl.org.tw
2.    Application deadline for the first session: 12:00 noon, July 31, 2020 (Friday) (Taipei time GMT+08:00). Please fill out the online application form (including educational background and autobiographical sketch), and upload the following documents:
(1)    Official diploma and/or related academic credentials issued by an institution in Taiwan or overseas.
(2)    The content of the employment matchmaking application form must include sufficient relevant information to facilitate review, such as:
    Research and/or work experience and results during the past two years.
    The need of Taiwan's technological development for the applicant's skills and expertise, and the applicant's possible contributions.
    Career plan in Taiwan (please specify desired career scope or field and industries and/or institutions at which the applicant hopes to find a position).
(3)    Before the application deadline, applicants must provide proof of study/work overseas during the most recent two years, or R.O.C. (Taiwan) entry and exit records for the most recent three years.
3.    Applications that are late, incomplete, or fail to comply with requirements will not be accepted.
IV.    Selection Process
The Program's selection process will consist of a preliminary and secondary review in 2020. Industry and academic experts in relevant fields on the review committee will conduct a substantive review, and interviews will be conducted via telephone or videoconferencing when deemed necessary.
V.    Announcement of Selected applicants
Applicants selected for the first session will be announced on the LIFT Program website or by email on August 14, 2020 (Friday). Applicants selected for the second session will be announced on the website in early-October of 2020.
VI.    Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference
The Program will hold two sessions of the Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference in 2020. The first session will be from Monday, October 19 to Wednesday, October 28, 2020, and the second session will be from Monday, December 14 to Wednesday, December 23, 2020. The organizer retains the right for making adjustments in the conference schedule, and any such adjustments will be announced on the Program website.
VII.    Subsidy Method and Accommodation Arrangements
1.    The Program will provide subsidies covering single round-trip economy class airfare to and from Taiwan for the selected applicant's attendance at the Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference, and such airfare will be for the most direct route from the selected applicant’s place of residence or work. Selected applicants must submit their electronic ticket, boarding pass, and proof of purchase to obtain reimbursement. If a participant travels from another country to Taiwan, his/her reimbursement shall consist of the actual round-trip airfare from and to the other country, but such reimbursement shall not exceed the airfare of the most direct route from the participant's place of residence or work to Taiwan. Relevant subsidy regulations will be announced on the Program website.
2.    The Program will arrange professional exchange activities, visits to national development projects and domestic industries, universities, and research organizations, and also hold a talent matchmaking event (10 days in total) for those individuals selected to participate in the Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference in Taiwan. Subsidies will be provided for accommodations, meals, and transportation during the activity period; other expenses will not be covered.
VIII.    Rights and Obligations
1.    If an applicant who has been selected to attend the first session of the "Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference" wishes to instead attend the second session due to urgent matters, the applicant must notify the LIFT Program Office within 15 days after the announcement of selected applicants is made. If an applicant fails to provide notification before the deadline, he/she must submit a new application. 
2.    The subsidy is only available to those attend the activity during 2020. Selected applicants shall sign an agreement with the Program Office before the start date of the Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference. Selected applicants who cannot attend the conference or fail to sign the agreement for any reason will not have any right under this program. 
3.    While returning/coming to Taiwan to attend the "Leaders in Future Trends O2O Conference," selected applicants must participate in all exchange activities; those who fail to participate in all activities shall not be subsidized for their airfare to Taiwan. However, if a selected applicant accepts an offer of employment at an enterprise/university/research organization while in Taiwan to participate in the Program, even if he/she does not participate in all activities, he/she may still be subsidized for airfare subsidy with an official proof of employment. 
4.    If a selected applicant accepts an offer of employment at an enterprise/university/research organization during the exchange activity period in Taiwan, he/she shall notify the LIFT Program Office and provide proof of employment, and he/she may cease participating in exchange activities after obtaining the Program Office's consent. 
5.    The Program Office shall retain the right to terminate the agreement of any selected applicants who: violate the laws of the ROC (Taiwan); have already found a professional position in Taiwan prior to returning/coming to Taiwan; or fail to cooperate with the Program Office during the exchange period in Taiwan. 
6.    The selected applicants shall submit a report at the end of the exchange period (or when their agreements are terminated ahead of time) in accordance with their agreement.  They shall also be required to complete follow-up telephone or written surveys by this Program concerning the effectiveness of the Program within the 2-year period after obtaining subsidies.
IX.    Additional Matters
1.    Any unspecified matters connected with the Program may be announced at any time, and may be handled in accordance with the agreement and other relevant regulations.
2.    LIFT Program Office contact information:
Telephone: +886-2-2737-7956 Mr. Lin; +886-2-2737-7746 Ms. Lin
Email：lift@stpi.narl.org.tw