TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) underscored the importance of dreaming big for young people at the Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) Youth Development Administration event on Friday (Jan. 24). He emphasized the nation's commitment to supporting youth aspirations during the launch of the "Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative" (青年百億海外圓夢基金計畫) at Lunghwa University of Science and Technology (龍華科技大學).
Lai described the initiative as a national-level project driven by various government departments, with plans for continual review and improvement. He highlighted the program's focus on individuals aged 15 to 30, noting that personal dreams can lead to societal and national betterment, and expressed hope that young people's dreams and courage will drive social progress.
Lai also linked the initiative to education, calling youth the future foundation of the nation and stressing the importance of nurturing talent for national development. He advocated for equal educational opportunities, stating the country's responsibility to ensure that economic backgrounds do not hinder students' dreams. Additionally, he mentioned Taiwan's plan to welcome students from allied nations, enhancing bilateral relations.
MOE Deputy Minister Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) detailed the initiative's four-year, NT$10 billion budget, targeting youth through the "Building Dreams Factory" (築夢工場) and "Overseas Soaring" (海外翱翔組) groups. The "Building Dreams Factory" allows youth to propose projects with a maximum subsidy of NT$2 million, open for applications from Jan. 24 to March 14. while the "Overseas Soaring" group offers 85 projects for 610 participants, with each project receiving up to NT$1.5 million.