TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan needs to attract more international students to face the needs of the future, Acer Inc. founder Stan Shih (施振榮) said Saturday (Aug. 26).

He was speaking at a forum in Taipei City about higher education reform. The government has a limited amount of resources, so Taiwan’s talent pool needs to rely on other sources, the electronics pioneer said.

He expressed support for the government’s campaign to promote innovation institutes, per CNA. However, he added, the policy needed more support and funding from the business sector as well, he added.

As there was certain to be a shortage of talent to meet Taiwan’s future needs, closer cooperation between business and academia was only one aspect, according to Shih. The country needs to be more active in attracting international students to help provide industry with the necessary workforce, he said.

Speakers at the forum called for the development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and more sophisticated semiconductors. AI was unlikely to replace employees, but the shortage of talent needed to manage its introduction and development might become acute, business leaders said.