Talent Without Borders: Process over artefact: what Taiwan’s competency reform and the UK’s AI skills push can teach each other
What does talent look like when AI can produce the finished work? Join TLA Taiwan for a UK-Taiwan discussion on learning, hiring and human capability, exploring what Taiwan's competency reform and the UK's AI skills push can teach each other.
When AI can write the essay, polish the application and produce the presentation, what should we be looking for in the person behind the work?
Join Tech London Advocates Taiwan for Talent Without Borders, our final event of 2026. We'll bring UK and Taiwan perspectives together to explore a question that matters to students, educators, employers and anyone navigating an AI-shaped workplace: how do we recognise and develop human capability when the finished product no longer tells the whole story?
Our starting point is process over artefact: paying attention to how people think, question, collaborate and exercise judgement, as well as what they produce. Drawing on Taiwan's competency-based education reform and the UK's growing focus on AI skills, we'll explore what the two ecosystems can learn from each other about learning, assessment and hiring.
Speakers
Opening remarks
Minister Yachi Chiang 江雅綺, Taipei Representative Office in the UK
Audrey Tang 唐鳳 (video message), Taiwan's Digital Minister 2016 to 2024; Cyber Ambassador and Senior Accelerator Fellow, Oxford Institute for Ethics in AI
Panel
Professor Shang-Hsien (Patrick) Hsieh 謝尚賢 (live by video call from Taipei), Professor of Computer-Aided Engineering, National Taiwan University; Chair of NTU Civil Engineering 2016 to 2022; founder of the NTU BIM Research Center
Jim Sun 孫憶明 (live by video call from Taipei), Adjunct Professor, NTU Leadership Program; Head of Asia, People Squared Solutions; founder of HiAchieve Technology and AceMentor Technology; formerly Microsoft, McKinsey and Foxconn
UK panellists to be announced
Talent routes update
Sarah Lau, Barrister and Head of Asia Pacific and Greater China Desk, Irwin Mitchell LLP
Full speaker bios and photos: tlataiwan.co.uk/events/talent-without-borders
What to expect
A UK-Taiwan discussion on AI, education, leadership and the capabilities we should value.
A conversation about moving beyond AI detection towards meaningful evidence of learning and contribution.
An update on immigration routes to the UK from Sarah Lau, Barrister at Irwin Mitchell LLP.
Small-group discussions shaped by the questions you bring, with ideas shared back across the room.
Time to meet the community and exchange perspectives.
As TLA Taiwan's final gathering of 2026, the afternoon will also offer time to reconnect with the community over Taiwanese popcorn chicken (鹽酥雞) and milk tea (奶茶) from Wine The Noodles (醉牛).
Programme (UK time)
12:30 Doors open, with Taiwanese snacks. Register the one question you most want answered; the table sessions are built from them.
13:00 Welcome from TLA Taiwan, opening remarks from Minister Yachi Chiang, then a video message from Audrey Tang.
13:20 Panel: Is detecting AI in education and hiring a lost cause, and what should we be assessing instead? With Professor Patrick Hsieh and Jim Sun, joining live by video call from Taipei, and UK panellists to be announced, followed by audience questions.
14:20 Short break
14:25 Talent routes update: Sarah Lau of Irwin Mitchell LLP on immigration routes to the UK.
14:40 Table sessions: attendees' questions clustered into themes, with one answer per table.
15:10 Read-outs and close
15:25 Networking with the UK-Taiwan community until 16:00
Who it's for
Graduates and early-career professionals, hiring managers, educators, edtech founders, and the wider UK-Taiwan community. You don't need to be an AI specialist; bring your curiosity and a question you'd like the room to explore.
Event details
Date: Saturday 21 November 2026, 13:00 to 16:00 (doors open 12:30)
Venue: SOAS University of London, 10 Thornhaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG
Speakers: Minister Yachi Chiang, Audrey Tang, Professor Shang-Hsien (Patrick) Hsieh, Jim Sun and Sarah Lau. UK panellists to be announced.
Refreshments: Taiwanese popcorn chicken (鹽酥雞) and milk tea (奶茶) from Wine The Noodles (醉牛)
Join us for TLA Taiwan's final gathering of the year.
*TLA Taiwan is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community. Ticket prices go directly towards catering and the costs of running the event.