HUST and four universities form alliance to train semiconductor technology experts

HUST and four other educational institutions: Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, University of Da Nang, and Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Training to organize the conference.

The conference aimed to unify, enhance awareness, and foster collaborative efforts among leading universities in aligning with state policies, the active support of localities and businesses, to promote the training of high-quality human resources for the development of the nation's semiconductor industry.

The conference saw the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and leaders from Da Nang city. Nearly 40 Vietnamese universities participated, specializing in fields related to semiconductor chip design. Additionally, representatives from domestic and international companies in the semiconductor chip design industry, such as Intel Corporation, Synopsys Vietnam, Cadence, Qorvo Vietnam, Viettel High Technology Industries Corporation, VNPT Technology Vietnam, and several experts in the semiconductor industry, were present. HUST has developed training programs based on the requirements of semiconductor chip design and manufacturing technology

During the conference, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Duc Minh, representing HUST, presented a report on "Building a training program based on the requirements of semiconductor chip design and manufacturing technology," emphasizing key points such as the global/Vietnamese semiconductor supply chain and workforce needs, employment opportunities and knowledge requirements, training programs, microchip and semiconductor research, and plans to enhance the quantity and quality of the workforce.  Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Duc Minh stated that the university currently offers two directly related majors and seven closely related majors in chip design, production, packaging, testing, and application support, including Electronics and Telecommunications, Integrated Circuit Design, Embedded Systems, Electrical/Automation, Electronics, Computer Engineering/Computer Science, Technical Physics, Materials/Electronic Materials, Microelectronics and Nano-Technology, with a total of over 3,300 students.

The training curriculum for bachelor's and engineering degrees in the semiconductor field at HUST has been shortened from 6-9 months to 3-6 months through collaboration with businesses.

Analyzing the strengths of HUST in training high-quality human resources for the semiconductor industry, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Duc Minh highlighted six points:
1.    Training and research in all stages: design, production, and application development.
2.    Invested in equipped facilities: ITIMS (2 clean rooms with full equipment for semiconductor component production and testing), BKIC, SAHEP project.
3.    Research strength in Analog IC, IC Verification, GaNHEMT, MEMS/NEMS Sensor fields.
4.    High-quality incoming students.
5.    Large alumni network with positions in microchip companies.
6.    Close collaboration with businesses.Despite facing challenges such as market demand changing rapidly, competition among units (within and outside the university), short-term investment in education and research, and students choosing software-related majors, HUST has significant opportunities to further develop high-quality human resources for the semiconductor industry: State investment attention; Social and media interest; Shortage of semiconductor workforce. At the end of the report, HUST proposed several conclusions and recommendations:

• Training high-quality human resources in the semiconductor industry is crucial for the development of the semiconductor industry. Human resources include: Design, manufacturing, testing, and application development.
• The semiconductor industry's growth rate over the past 20 years (2003-2023) has been 10% per year.
• To achieve a 25% growth rate, six tasks need to be undertaken: Build a team of lecturers; Develop infrastructure: software, IP, testing equipment, manufacturing tools; Develop digital programs and materials (lectures, experiments); Student supports: credit incentives, tuition fees, scholarships (domestic and international); Incentives (taxes, capital, costs, credit) for businesses in collaboration in training, recruitment, research; and International research cooperation.

Listening to the reports from HUST and other educational institutions, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son stated that many actions need to be taken in order to rapidly increase the quantity and quality of microelectronics technology human resources to meet development needs, as predicted by some agencies and organizations:

• The first and most important task is to enhance the capacity of universities, including lecturers, infrastructure, technology, training programs, and software tools.
• In addition, solutions are needed to attract students studying related majors, attract more high school students to enroll in these fields and majors.
• Furthermore, collaborations between universities, between universities and businesses using human resources, with localities where businesses are investing or will invest, need to be established to share visions, experiences, and optimize resource usage.

HUST President: The alliance is open to everyone to accompany together!

At the conference, in the presence of Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son, and Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang, Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, President of HUST, signed a MoU for the formation of an alliance for the development of high-quality human resources in the semiconductor industry with the leaders of Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, University of Da Nang, and Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology.

Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang noted that the signing of the MoU to form an alliance among educational institutions for training human resources in the semiconductor industry opens opportunities for: 1. Timing; 2. Breakthrough solutions: Special regulations for training, research; 3. Global perspective; 4. Establishing Vietnam's semiconductor industry. The alliance is open to everyone to accompany!  The leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training highly appreciate the proactivity and determination of higher education institutions, especially HUST and the four universities, for their initiative in organizing the conference and signing the MoU to establish an alliance for training in the semiconductor technology field.

HUST along with other universities, is ready to participate, innovate, and transform to quickly shoulder this responsibility.