Do Not Worry About Talent Going Abroad—Worry About Whether It Wants to Return

Originally published 2021-07-23Robin’s commentary (as of July 2021)

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English translation of the Chinese post originally published 2021-07-23. Translated 2026-10-31 with AI assistance. Historical figures and claims have not been updated or independently verified. 中文原文

Reading guide

Discussing the indicator of students studying abroad immediately after high school, Robin offers a different perspective. Earlier generations of talented Taiwanese graduates went abroad, saw the world, and brought back technology and new perspectives. Today, many remain at leading Taiwanese universities for master’s degrees and are recruited early by major companies. He worries about a gap in Taiwan’s ability to connect with the world, while Taiwanese students in the United States are increasingly outnumbered by Chinese and Indian students. He welcomes talented high school graduates attending leading foreign universities. The real question is whether Taiwan offers enough incentive for them to return.

Key points

Earlier generations studied abroad and brought technology back to Taiwan.
Staying in Taiwan for further study may create a gap in connections with the world.
Welcome talented students studying abroad rather than worry about their departure.
The key is creating incentives for them to return to Taiwan.

Distinct modular elements joined into a coordinated, balanced whole. — Management & organizationsThematic illustration · AI generated

Full text — English translation

The third indicator: the number of students who study abroad immediately after high school. I see it differently. Taiwan once had a saying: “Come, come, come to National Taiwan University; go, go, go to America.” Many talented Taiwanese students went abroad after college to see a different world and bring advanced technology and perspectives home. Somewhere along the way, graduates began staying for master’s degrees at National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, National Chiao Tung University, or National Cheng Kung University, with TSMC, MediaTek, and others recruiting them early. I am more concerned that Taiwan’s ability to connect with the world is developing a gap. Taiwanese students in the United States are gradually being replaced by much larger numbers of Chinese and Indian students. That is a greater concern for Taiwan’s future. Personally, I welcome talented high school graduates attending leading universities in the United States. Do not worry about Taiwanese talent going abroad to learn. Worry more about whether we can provide enough incentive for these talented people to want to return and work together for Taiwan.

These articles are personal notes, book excerpts, and collected reprints. Figures and events reflect the time of the original publication, are not current information, and do not constitute investment advice.

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