The National Science and Technology Council says it's set to establish
Taiwan's first overseas I-C design training base in Prague, with operations
there are slated to be begin in September.

Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Zheng-chong says the planned
training base is being established as part of the government's 10-year Taiwan
Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program.

The Cabinet initiated the program earlier this year to enhance efforts to
enhance cooperation with other countries on chip development and it seeks to
help cultivate around 100 international specialists in the initial phase.

The 10-year program has a total budget of 300-billion N-T and an initial
investment of 12-billion N-T in the first year.

The council minister says the planned Prague base and future overseas
training bases are expected to help Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing
companies that operate in Europe train local I-C talent.