"Achieving Semiconductor Super-Gap"... Doubling the Training of Core Personnel

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT Reveals at the Industry-4 Major Science and Technology Institutes Presidents Meeting on the 30th

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The government has decided to more than double the training of core semiconductor personnel to realize a semiconductor powerhouse with a super-gap advantage.

On the afternoon of the 30th, Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT, held a meeting with industry representatives and presidents of the four major science and technology institutes at KAIST and announced this plan.

To this end, the government will increase the number of bachelor's level semiconductor personnel trained annually at KAIST from 100 to around 200 starting next year. Semiconductor contract departments will be newly established at the three science and technology institutes: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) with 20 students, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) with 50 students, and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) with 30 students.

In addition, the training of master's and doctoral level semiconductor specialists will be expanded. While strengthening the industry-academia cooperation graduate programs currently operated at KAIST and UNIST, the establishment of semiconductor graduate schools or the installation of semiconductor majors in existing graduate schools at GIST and DGIST is being considered. Through this, the annual training of master's and doctoral personnel, currently about 220, is planned to increase to over 500 within the next five years. Currently, KAIST operates semiconductor programs such as KEPSI (in cooperation with SK Hynix) and EPSS (in cooperation with Samsung Electronics). UNIST has also been selecting about 35 graduate students in semiconductor materials and components annually since last year.

Hiring of industry-experienced doctoral-level professors with abundant practical experience in semiconductor design and processes, as well as expansion of industry-academia cooperative education and research programs, will also be promoted. Joint research and personnel exchanges in the semiconductor field between world-class overseas universities, research institutes, companies, and the four major science and technology institutes will be significantly increased. KAIST is promoting joint AI semiconductor research and personnel exchanges with UC Berkeley, GIST operates the Nobel Amano Research Center and is negotiating AI joint research and personnel exchanges with MIT. DGIST plans joint AI semiconductor research with Purdue University and joint intelligent semiconductor research and personnel exchanges with Stanford University. UNIST is expanding semiconductor joint research with Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Minister Lee said, "In fast-evolving technological fields like semiconductors, training personnel through industry-academia-research cooperation is extremely important," adding, "The four major science and technology institutes will proactively lead industry-academia cooperation talent training models together with the industry to secure the core personnel needed by the industry."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and ICT has decided to regularize the 'Semiconductor Personnel Training Council,' jointly participated by semiconductor companies and the four major science and technology institutes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.