□ DGIST (President Yang Kook) (the following three science and technology institutions) will establish a "Semiconductor Contracting Department" with Samsung Electronics for fostering technical staff specialized in semiconductor manufacturing processes.
□ DGIST closed a business agreement on the 27th (Mon) at DGIST University Center Convention Hall for establishing and operating the Semiconductor Contracting Department, which was attended by Samsung Electronics President Seokwoo Nam and Wanpyo Kim, DGIST President Yang Kook, and other major stakeholders.
□ Owing to the recently increasing global semiconductor demand, safeguarding national competitiveness relevant to semiconductors is critical. Particularly, the semiconductor industry is a key industry in South Korea, and it is a cutting-edge future industry that will lead future industries involved with AI, autonomous driving, and robotics. Therefore, continuous improvement in semiconductor device stacking and performance are crucial. Recruiting key talent that will lead the development in semiconductor staking processes and overcome the current difficulties experienced in device stacking and performance increase is absolutely necessary. Consequently, Minister Jongho Lee of the Ministry of Science and ICT stated the importance of "establishing a government-wide semiconductor talent fostering system" last year.
□ Thus, DGIST will establish a "Semiconductor Contracting Department" in collaboration with Samsung Electronics, which will foster key talent. In DGIST, the Semiconductor Contracting Department will be operated as a five-year combined Bachelor’s and Master’s program, for which 30 freshmen will be selected every year from 2024 to 2028. Extension is also possible according to the circumstances of fostering talent. Furthermore, among graduate students, those selected as scholars and employed by Samsung Electronics will become technical staff specialized in semiconductor manufacturing processes.
□ Thereby, the number of universities that are newly established with operational departments relevant to semiconductors with employment conditions in Samsung Electronics has grown to seven, including Sungkyunkwan University, Yonsei University, KAIST, and POSTECH, followed by DGIST, GIST, and UNIST.
□ DGIST President Yang Kook stated that "global semiconductor experts that can lead innovations in semiconductor technology will be fostered on-site using DGIST semiconductor research and education infrastructure," and revealed that "DGIST semiconductor experts will be fostered to become the foundation for local economy and new industry creation as much as DGIST is cooperating in ‘D-FAB’ construction where semiconductor design to analysis can be proceeded."
