Samsung to create university courses on semiconductors in Ulsan, Daegu, Gwangju

Industry

Published: 27 Mar. 2023, 16:46 Updated: 27 Mar. 2023, 18:32

Samsung to create university courses on semiconductors in Ulsan, Daegu, Gwangju

Park Rae-kil, left, acting president of Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) and Song Jai-hyuk, chief technology officer at Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions division, during a signing ceremony held Monday at GIST. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics will set up an integrated master’s course in semiconductor engineering at technology universities in Ulsan, Daegu and Gwangju, with full scholarships and hiring guarantees.

The employer-university collaboration is aimed at training semiconductor professionals while boosting regional growth.

On Monday, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) signed agreements with Samsung Electronics to set up a 5-year semiconductor engineering program that integrates bachelor’s and master’s degree courses.

In the employer-university collaboration, Samsung Electronics will provide full tuition for students as well as additional scholarship programs. The company will also guarantee employment at Samsung’s chip production facilities.

Starting in 2024, UNIST will admit 40 students for the program every year, DGIST 30 and GIST 30.

The program will focus on the semiconductor manufacturing process, as “the significance of manufacturing process technology rises in overcoming limits in semiconductor scaling,” said Samsung Electronics in a release.

The company will offer internship opportunities at its production facilities, and support students through mentoring programs.

The latest program is part of Samsung Electronics’ effort to encourage balanced regional growth, according to the chipmaker, as its Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been underlining the importance of “growing along with the local community,” since his appointment in October last year.

The three universities will each serve as regional hubs for training semiconductor engineers to lessen the concentration of professionals in the greater Seoul area, said Samsung.

As Samsung has been collaborating with SungKyunKwan University, Yonsei University, KAIST and Postech with a focus on semiconductor design and software engineering, the company now runs 7 employer-university collaboration programs in semiconductor engineering.

Starting in 2029, when the freshmen in the upcoming master’s courses will complete their studies, Samsung’s employer-university collaboration programs will turn out a total of 450 graduates every year.

“With the establishment of the integrated bachelor’s and master’s programs, we have set up a foothold to systemically train semiconductor professionals,” said Song Jai-hyuk, chief technology officer at Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions division.

“This will contribute to stably securing talents that will live up to Korea’s status as the leading country in semiconductors, and promoting balanced regional development.”

Aside from semiconductors, Samsung is investing over 100 billion won ($76.9 million) every year into training students in display engineering, funding research projects, providing scholarships for PhD students and supporting national universities outside Seoul.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]