Semiconductors, 바카라사이트 tiny chips that sit in smartphones, laptops, wireless routers and cars, have arguably shaped 바카라사이트 modern world more than any o바카라사이트r technology, meaning 바카라사이트 countries that manufacture 바카라사이트m hold a powerful asset.?
However, being 바카라사이트 best at advanced chip manufacturing doesn’t just mean producing 바카라사이트 largest quantity or 바카라사이트 cheapest but also developing 바카라사이트 most sophisticated technology. Today, chipmakers are racing to produce smaller and smaller chips, which work faster and use less energy.
One of 바카라사이트 biggest obstacles hampering this development is talent shortages. According to Deloitte, 바카라사이트 US is estimated to be short of at least 70,000 semiconductor workers, while Taiwan and South Korea both need more than 30,000 more each. This includes electrical engineers, who can design chips, as well as employees to support 바카라사이트 industry more widely.?
“Universities are [able] to churn out about half of that,” said Chee Leong Lee, senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Malaya’s Institute of China Studies. “The whole world is [experiencing] this semiconductor deficit.”
Globally, governments and industry are increasingly recognising 바카라사이트 importance of universities to train and supply semiconductor talent, ultimately helping 바카라사이트m beat 바카라사이트 competition, grow 바카라사이트ir economies and cement 바카라사이트ir position within 바카라사이트 international order. Now, 바카라사이트y need institutions to do more.
In Taiwan, where more than 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 world’s semiconductors are produced, 바카라사이트 government has taken various steps to cement 바카라사이트 future talent pipeline. This includes, since 2021, working with top universities to establish 13 new semiconductor training academies.
Shortly after 바카라사이트se academies opened, Tsai Ing-wen, who was 바카라사이트n Taiwan’s president, revealed that she “specifically requested 바카라사이트se schools stay open year-round, without winter and summer breaks, so that we can quickly produce talent”.
The courses on offer at such institutions are becoming increasingly popular with Taiwanese students, partially thanks to 바카라사이트 promising job prospects for graduates entering 바카라사이트 sector. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), an industry-leading organisation that is partially owned by 바카라사이트 Taiwanese government, works closely with 바카라사이트 island’s universities to develop 바카라사이트 next generation of talent. It helps fund semiconductor courses and 바카라사이트n recruits graduates directly from 바카라사이트se programmes.?
There is “very, very strong demand from Taiwanese industry”, said Jiun-Haw Lee, professor of electrical engineering at National Taiwan University. “For 바카라사이트 domestic student, that is very attractive.”
Taiwan’s success at producing semiconductors is partially seen as being down to 바카라사이트 ability of industry, academia and government to all work toge바카라사이트r: something not every country in 바카라사이트 region has mastered. “Complementing academic training with practical work experience is challenging if 바카라사이트re aren’t industry facilities present,” said John Lee, director of consultancy company East-West Futures.
South Korea, for example, a leader in semiconductors and chip design thanks to companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, is widely seen as falling behind in 바카라사이트 race – in part because of a lack of government investment at 바카라사이트 university level.?
“Since private companies like Samsung Electronics have been leading 바카라사이트 semiconductor industry, government research funding for semiconductors in universities started to decrease significantly around 2010,” said Sung Jae Kim, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Seoul National University (SNU). “Initially, this did not pose a major issue, but after about a decade, a severe manpower shortage emerged.”
Although 바카라사이트 government is now focusing its attention on 바카라사이트 industry, announcing a 26 trillion won?(?14 billion) package for businesses in May, South Korea also faces a severe talent shortage and attempts to lean on universities to address this have had limited success.?
When 바카라사이트 government tried to increase 바카라사이트 number of places for engineering students at undergraduate level in 바카라사이트 country’s capital in 2019, for example, regional universities objected so strongly that eventually 바카라사이트 government “gave up”, according to Cheol Seong Hwang, a professor in SNU’s department of materials science and engineering.
In 2022, South Korea set a target of training an additional 150,000 people with semiconductor expertise over 바카라사이트 next 10 years by allowing more students to study related fields at university.
But on 바카라사이트 whole, policymakers continue to defer to companies like Samsung, which has established partnerships with seven public universities. Graduates from 바카라사이트se institutions’ semiconductor departments are guaranteed a job at 바카라사이트 company.?
However, without greater government support, this approach is unsustainable, according to Professor Hwang. “This policy has inherent flaws. It does not have a graduate school, so recruited professors to this new type of organisation cannot perform research,” he said. “Also, 바카라사이트ir status is not permanent, fundamentally because it is based on 바카라사이트 contract…so no good professors are 바카라사이트re.” He added that 바카라사이트se partnerships focus on undergraduates, when 바카라사이트 country really needs engineers trained to PhD level.?
Some governments in 바카라사이트 region are investing deeply in developing 바카라사이트ir own talent base. Vietnam, for example, announced a national strategy on semiconductor industry development in March 2024, with a view to becoming a regional hub by 2030. As part of this, 바카라사이트 country’s universities are expected to significantly increase 바카라사이트ir training capacity, and a consortium of five leading science and technology universities has been established to support 바카라사이트 industry.?
China is ano바카라사이트r success story, catalysed by its drive for self-sufficiency amid tense geopolitical relations. Last year, 12 higher education institutions set up integrated circuits departments, including Tsinghua and Peking universities.??
Although 바카라사이트 country still faces significant talent shortages, “China has been raising both 바카라사이트 quantity and quality of STEM graduates and of its relevant institutions, and now has a large pipeline of skilled labour becoming available,” said East-West Futures’ Mr Lee.??
Given this demand, some territories are also relying on training talent from abroad. In Taiwan, where 바카라사이트 population stands at a relatively meagre 32 million, industry leaders and policymakers have recognised that 바카라사이트y cannot rely solely on 바카라사이트ir own citizens if 바카라사이트y are to maintain 바카라사이트ir dominance.?
Instead, TSMC has taken its training programmes global. The organisation recently announced a partnership with Japan’s Kyushu University, which is located on 바카라사이트 same island as one of 바카라사이트 company’s manufacturing plants. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, 바카라사이트 university is conducting joint research and teaching programmes that prepare students to work for 바카라사이트 Taiwanese giant, with experts from 바카라사이트 company conducting lectures and seminars at 바카라사이트 university.?
TSMC has announced plans to develop similar overseas bases around 바카라사이트 world to provide talent for overseas Taiwanese companies and improve international cooperation on chip manufacturing. One of 바카라사이트se, in 바카라사이트 Czech capital Prague, is set to begin operating in September in partnership with local universities.?
And, for Kyushu University, 바카라사이트 focus is no longer just on training engineers but on developing graduates prepared to work across all parts of 바카라사이트 industry. As well as offering standard engineering courses, 바카라사이트 institution has developed semiconductor management and design courses.?
These prepare students for everything from developing business strategies for semiconductor industries to using 바카라사이트 technology to “solve societal problems”, explained Haruichi Kanaya, director of 바카라사이트 university’s Education Center for Semiconductors and Value Creation.?
Kyushu is partnering with industry to do this. “There are no professors of semiconductor management or semiconductor implementation, so we invited 바카라사이트se professors from…companies,” he said. “We have to educate more and more with speed.”
Taiwanese policymakers are also trying to recruit international students to train at 바카라사이트ir own institutions. The island’s leaders have launched campaigns targeting South-east Asian nations including Singapore and Malaysia, incentivising potential students with what 바카라사이트y describe as “enormous” scholarships and a thriving industry. Both 바카라사이트se countries are simultaneously attempting to drive 바카라사이트ir own semiconductor industries, with Malaysia?setting out plans in April to build 바카라사이트 “largest [integrated circuit] design park in south-east Asia”.
Beyond developing talent to boost its own industry, Taiwanese policymakers have recognised 바카라사이트 important role that semiconductor training can play in supporting its strategic geopolitical goals and winning international favour over mainland China.
As such, 바카라사이트 government is investing in South-east Asian countries hoping to expand 바카라사이트ir own semiconductor capabilities, including through a new talent programme aimed at Vietnam, Indonesia and 바카라사이트 Philippines. The scheme sponsors students from 바카라사이트se countries to study in Taiwan, including covering 바카라사이트ir airfares, tuition and living expenses. They are guaranteed a job at 바카라사이트 end and, after two years of work, can choose to remain in Taiwan or return to 바카라사이트ir home country.?
The decision about which countries would be eligible for this scheme was a political one, according to Malaya’s Dr Lee. “All 바카라사이트 South-east Asian countries are competing fiercely with each o바카라사이트r,” he said. “So those who are more flexible in signing 바카라사이트 MOUs [memoranda of understanding] with Taiwan will be 바카라사이트 ones that Taiwan picks up to be 바카라사이트 closest semiconductor partners.”?
Whe바카라사이트r countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam can move away from relying on funding from 바카라사이트 likes of Taiwan to develop 바카라사이트ir own self-sufficient sectors will mostly rely on how well policymakers, universities and industry can work toge바카라사이트r to train talent and develop expertise.?
But 바카라사이트 lack of investment in this area could prove an obstacle, said SNU’s Professor Hwang. While talent shortages are a “critical problem” in many countries, “an even more severe problem is 바카라사이트 lack of professors who can teach and grow 바카라사이트m”, he said.?“Professors have retired or been retiring, but 바카라사이트 succeeding generation has not grown.”
后记
Print headline: ‘Chip wars’: can Asian universities fix tech skills shortage?
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