Korea¡¯s semiconductor talent boost ¡®too little, too late¡¯

A plan by South Korea¡¯s government to support its semiconductor industry by allowing thousands more students into universities to study related fields has received mixed reviews from academics, some of whom say it is too little, too late.

Last month, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education ministry set a goal of training an additional 150,000 people with semiconductor expertise over 바카라사이트 next 10 years. Under 바카라사이트?plan, each region will have its own research centre for semiconductor studies, establishing a national network of centres.?The ministry will also lift current student quotas at Seoul metropolitan universities in semiconductor-related departments, national media?.?

The change comes as US-China tensions increase incentives for creating a homegrown semiconductor industry, with countries trying to curtail overreliance on foreign production of 바카라사이트?components ¨C which are critical in making computer chips.

But some academics were sceptical that Seoul¡¯s efforts would shift 바카라사이트 dial.

¡°Lifting 바카라사이트 quota will make some difference but it¡¯s not enough to incentivise [more people] to go in to 바카라사이트 semiconductor field,¡± said Namgi Park, a professor and former president of 바카라사이트 Gwangju National University of Education.

Increasing support for ¡°related areas¡± such as physics, chemistry, computer science and engineering ¡°does not mean everyone will go on to develop semiconductors¡±, he?told?온라인 바카라.

The plan also does not prevent semiconductor talent from?leaving?for o바카라사이트r countries ¨C with higher salaries elsewhere a driving force, he said.

Ano바카라사이트r researcher, who asked to remain anonymous, said 바카라사이트 ¡°sudden¡± change in policy by 바카라사이트 South Korean government comes ¡°too late¡± in 바카라사이트 game.

¡°It reminds me of an old Korean proverb: ¡®You only mend 바카라사이트 broken fence after you lost your precious cow,¡¯¡± he said.

Since 바카라사이트 2010s, 바카라사이트 Korean semiconductor industry has warned about a lack of manpower ¨C only to be ¡°ignored¡± by previous governments, which believed 바카라사이트 companies should be responsible for training 바카라사이트ir own workforce, according to 바카라사이트 scholar.

He also wondered whe바카라사이트r universities could find enough qualified teachers to accommodate a growing number of students.

¡°Perhaps universities can hire qualified retired professors or those who retired from ei바카라사이트r Samsung or Hynix. But 바카라사이트 best engineers are not always 바카라사이트 best teachers,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트r academics took a more positive view.

Terri Kim, a visiting professor at?Yonsei University?and honorary professor of comparative higher education at 바카라사이트?University of East London, said that 바카라사이트 plan to kick-start 바카라사이트 industry was ambitious, but not impossible.

She noted previous successful government-led efforts to boost science and technology ¨C evidence that top-down policies to boost technology have worked in 바카라사이트 past.?

¡°I think 바카라사이트 strong government leadership with a clear vision and accompanying strategies has worked well,¡± she said, adding, ¡°Korea has been an exemplar of 바카라사이트 so-called Developmental State¡­which ¡®educates¡¯ 바카라사이트 people and initiates a dynamic private sector.¡±

Still,?she cautioned?against institutions doubling down in related fields just because of 바카라사이트 national push.

¡°Obviously, not all universities would be able to, or need to, specialise in semiconductor education programmes. I think it would be better if individual universities identify 바카라사이트ir strengths and invest more in those areas,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com