Organizational Act of the Ministry of Science and Technology

Article 1    
The Executive Yuan has established the Ministry of Science and Technology (herein referred to as "this Ministry") expressly to perform matters connected with the nation's scientific development and technological research and applications.

Article 2　
This Ministry shall be in charge of the following items:

1. Planning the country's science and technology development policy.
2. Overall planning, coordination, and assessment of the government's science and technology development programs, and review of the science and technology budget.
3. Promotion of basic and applied scientific and technological research.
4. Promotion of major science and technology R&D programs and support for academic research.
5. Planning, promotion, and management of forward-looking industrial technology R&D policies, and technology assessment.
6. Development of science parks.
7. Management of the Executive Yuan National Science and Technology Fund.
8. Other matters concerning the development of science and technology.

1. Hsinchu Science Park Administration: Implementation of matters prescribed in the Science Park Establishment and Management Statutes.
2. Central Taiwan Science Park Administration: Implementation of matters prescribed in the Science Park Establishment and Management Statutes.
3. Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration: Implementation of matters prescribed in the Science Park Establishment and Management Statutes.

Article 6    
To meet service needs, this Ministry may, upon obtaining the consent of the Executive Yuan, send personnel to work abroad, and shall handle relevant matters in accordance with the Organization Act of Diplomatic Missions.
When necessary, individuals possessing professorial qualifications at a school at the level of college or above may be hired to serve as personnel in the foregoing paragraph stationed abroad and serving as the head of the science and technology unit of an overseas agency; the period of appointment of such individuals may not exceed four years, and they shall return to their original agency at the end of this period.

Article 7    
When necessary, an individual possessing the equivalent of professorial qualifications at a school at the level of college or above may be hired to serve as the head of this Ministry's Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Development, Department of Engineering and Technologies, Department of Life Sciences, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, or Department of International Cooperation and Science Education; the retirement and consolation payments of such individuals shall be handled in accordance with regulations concerning teachers, and this Ministry shall grant its approval to such arrangements.

Article 8    
In view of the rapid development of science and technology worldwide, and the need to cultivate diversified scientific and technical manpower in order to enhance Taiwan's scientific and technological competitiveness, this Ministry may, in accordance with the Contract-based Worker Employment Act, hire professional scientific and technical personnel in such areas as the natural sciences, engineering and technology, life sciences, humanities and social sciences, development of science education, international cooperation in science and technology, sustainable development research, industry-academic R&D and applied science and technology, and scientific and technological policy and management; the number of such hired personnel may not exceed 110 persons.

Article 9    
The rank and grade of various positions at this Ministry, and the number of personnel, shall be set on the basis of the organizational chart.

Article 10  
The promulgation date of this Act shall be set by order of the Executive Yuan.
The Amendments to this Act shall come into force from the date of promulgation.