Chung Yuan University, rooted in science and engineering, has evolved into a crucial hub for nurturing talent across various industries in Taiwan. Simultaneously, it has been actively involved in the semiconductor talent development ecosystem. Recently, in collaboration with World Advanced Semiconductor Inc. (World Advanced), it has introduced practical semiconductor fabrication courses. These courses are jointly taught by faculty from the Physics, Electronics, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering departments. They are supplemented by practical insights from World Advanced’s engineers, creating a comprehensive semiconductor talent training model, thereby fulfilling the university’s and the business’s social responsibility.
In the era of the digital economy, semiconductors are indispensable foundational components. World Advanced is a leading provider of ‘Specialized Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Services’ and has not only achieved remarkable excellence in its field but is also committed to promoting the cultivation and development of semiconductor talent. This includes offering semiconductor courses in higher education institutions, fostering industry-academia collaboration, conducting special seminars and discussions, and providing internship opportunities.
Chung Yuan University has joined hands with World Advanced to introduce a new talent development model in higher education. They have collaborated to offer the ‘Semiconductor Fabrication Practice’ course, which is open to senior undergraduates and first-year master’s students with 40 available slots. The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with all available slots filling up as soon as the course was announced.
To plan the course model, World Advanced and Chung Yuan University’s ‘Semiconductor Materials and Advanced Optics Research Center’ held multiple meetings and discussions. In the end, they established a coherent training program, marking a new venture in industry-academia collaboration. The course content is divided among faculty members from various departments, enhancing the depth and breadth of the training. Faculty members from the Physics Department are responsible for introducing semiconductor epitaxial technology, while those from the Electronics Department cover semiconductor thin-film technology and diffusion technology. Faculty members from the Mechanical Engineering Department teach semiconductor lithography technology, and the Chemical Engineering Department faculty provide instruction on semiconductor etching technology, along with related on-campus processing experiments.
For the practical semiconductor fabrication component, World Advanced’s management takes the lead in explaining the chip fabrication processes, such as epitaxy, thin-film deposition, diffusion, and etching, performed on the production line to make functional chips. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the practical aspects. Finally, World Advanced arranges a company visit for the students. This mixed teaching model, featuring university faculty and industry representatives, allows students to acquire a strong foundation and practical knowledge, greatly contributing to the development of semiconductor talent.
