The Executive Yuan has established the National Science Council for the purpose of strengthening the development of scientific and technological research.

The National Science Council consists of the following departments:
1. Department of Natural Sciences
2. Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences
3. Department of Life Sciences
4. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
5. Department of Science Education
6. Department of International Cooperation
7. Department of Central Processing
8. Department of Planning and Evaluation
9. The Secretariat

The Department of Natural Sciences is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of the natural sciences and mathematics.
2. Reviewing proposals and subsidizing projects in the research and development of the natural sciences and mathematics.
3. Cultivating, recruiting, and awarding personnel in the fields of the natural sciences.
4. Establishing a domestic research environment for the natural sciences.

The Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of engineering and applied sciences.
2. Reviewing proposals and subsidizing projects in the research and development of engineering and applied sciences.
3. Cultivating, recruiting, and awarding engineering personnel.
4. Developing domestic engineering technology.

The Department of Life Sciences is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of biological science and technology.
2. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of medical and pharmaceutical science and technology.
3. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of agricultural science and technology.
4. Reviewing proposals and subsidizing projects in the research and development of biology, medicine, pharmacy, and agriculture.
5. Cultivating, recruiting, and awarding scientific and technological personnel in the fields of biology, medicine, pharmacy, and agriculture.

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of the humanities.
2. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of social sciences.
3. Reviewing proposals and subsidizing projects in the research and development of the humanities and social sciences.
4. Cultivating, recruiting, and awarding research personnel in the fields of the humanities and social sciences.

The Department of Science Education is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the research and development of science education.
2. Reviewing grant proposals and subsidizing projects in the research and development of science education.
3. Researching, guiding, and promoting science education for all citizens.
4. Publishing the Science Development monthly publication, scientific compilations, and other scientific publications.

The Department of International Cooperation is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, and coordinating scientific and technological cooperation at international levels.
2. Handling matters pertaining to international academic conferences.
3. Coordinating and maintaining contact with overseas science and technology divisions.
4. Recruiting and maintaining contact with overseas scholars.

The Department of Central Processing is charged with the following tasks:
1. Overall planning for the recruitment of visiting research professors and experts.
2. Training, building up, and selecting scientific and technological personnel for advanced studies abroad, and the overall planning thereof.
3. Planning the overall process of reviewing and subsidizing research projects proposed by various institutions and universities.
4. Processing matters concerning patent rights that have resulted from scientific and technological research and development.
5. Performing centralized administrative tasks outside the functions of other departments or offices.

The Department of Planning and Evaluation is charged with the following tasks:
1. Planning, promoting, guiding, and coordinating the nation’s scientific and technological research and development.
2. Assessing and evaluating the nation’s scientific and technological research and development.
3. Planning, managing, and supervising the establishment of science parks.
4. Planning and evaluating the collection, exchange, and administration of scientific and technological information.
5. Planning and evaluating the development and usage of advanced scientific instrumentation.
6. Formulating guidelines and plans on the National Science Council’s administrative policies.

The Secretariat is charged with handling documents, meetings, official seals, treasury matters, general affairs, public relations, and matters outside the functions of other departments or offices.

A Minster of Special Appointment Rank is charged with the overall affairs of the National Science Council. He/she is assisted by two or three Deputy Ministers of official rank equivalent to the 14th grade of civil servants.
The eight to fourteen Members of the National Science Council are all appointed by the Executive Yuan, and are selected from among Executive Yuan ministers without portfolio, heads of research institutions, heads of central government agencies, scholars and experts. Each Member serves a term of three years without remuneration.
To facilitate the development of scientific and technological affairs, a head of a research institution, scholar, or expert fulfilling the position of Member in the previous Paragraph may also hold foreign citizenship.

A regular monthly Council Meeting is convened by the National Science Council and chaired by the Minister. If the Minister is unable to attend for any reason, he/she shall designate a Deputy Minister to chair the meeting on his/her behalf. An emergency Council Meeting may be convened whenever necessary.

The National Science Council consists of one chief secretary, eight directors, and one to three counselors, all at the rank of 12th grade of Selected Appointment Rank; eight deputy ministers of the 11th grade of Selected Appointment Rank; one office director and three to five senior executive officers of the 10th to 11th grades of Selected Appointment Rank; twelve to twenty section chiefs of the 9th grade of Recommended Appointment Rank; two to four secretaries of the 8th to 9th grades of Recommended Appointment Rank, but may include one secretary of the 10th to 11th grades of Selected Appointment Rank; seven to nineteen specialists of the 7th to 9th grades of Recommended Appointment Rank; fourteen to twenty-two officers of the 5th grade of Delegated Appointment Rank, or 6th to 7th grades of Recommended Appointment Rank; ten to eighteen clerks of the 3rd to 5th grades of Delegated Appointment Rank; and ten to sixteen associate clerks of the 1st to 3rd grades of Delegated Appointment Rank.
Regarding the position of director in the previous Paragraph, when necessary, a director of the Department of Natural Sciences, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Science Education, or Department of International Cooperation may be appointed by having the same qualifications as a professor of a junior college or higher level institution. The retirement and consolation funds for such a director may be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations for teachers, and must be approved by the National Science Council.

The Personnel Office, headed by a director of the 10th to 11th grades of Selected Appointment Rank, is responsible for handling matters pertaining to personnel management in accordance with law.
The Accounting Office, headed by a director of the 10th to 11th grades of Selected Appointment Rank, is responsible for handling matters pertaining to annual budgets, accounting, and statistics in accordance with law.
The Civil Service Ethics Office, headed by a director of the 10th to 11th grades of Selected Appointment Rank, is responsible for handling matters pertaining to civil service ethics in accordance with law.
The number of personnel required for the offices mentioned in the three preceding Paragraphs is subject to the maximum quota prescribed within this Act.

The appointment of personnel to the positions specified in Articles 14 and 15 above shall be made in accordance with the civil service position classification laws and the classification system manual, for performance of duties in the categories of general administrative management, general education administration, general engineering, physics, chemistry, geology, meteorology, administrative management, accounting, statistics, personnel administration, and other relevant areas.

The National Science Council may, with the approval of the Executive Yuan, employ researchers, associate researchers, and assistant researchers as needed for the expansion of scientific and technological efforts, and for the review and guidance of research projects.

The National Science Council may appoint advisors as needed for the performance of its functions.

The National Science Council may establish various types of committees as needed for the performance of its functions.
Members of the committees mentioned in the preceding Paragraph are appointed by recommendation of the Minister and approval of the Council Meeting. A committee member serves a term of three years without remuneration and is eligible for reappointment. The manpower needed for the committees are transferred within the personnel quota prescribed in this Act.

In consideration of operational needs, the National Science Council has established the Science Park Administration. The organization of the Science Park Administration is stipulated by law.

The regulations governing meetings of the National Science Council and duties of the departments shall be drafted by the National Science Council and submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval.

This Act shall come into effect upon the date of promulgation.