Semiconductor technology is the "backbone" of the digital economy: How will students be trained?

How to train?

University of Science is the largest and most experienced university training institution in Vietnam in semiconductor technology.

In 1947, the transistor - the world's first semiconductor device - was invented at Bell Labs, USA. In 1962, the University of Natural Sciences was the place that manufactured the first transistor in Vietnam.

The school's Semiconductor Technology training program is built on the experience and achievements of the Materials Science industry (50 years of experience) as well as the joint training program with foreign semiconductor technology graduate programs such as the NYCU - Taiwan joint Semiconductor Technology master's program from 2020.

As a leading research university, the University of Science possesses many modern facilities, notably a clean room system cluster, capable of manufacturing semiconductor chips.

The university's Semiconductor Technology bachelor's program is designed to provide fundamental and in-depth knowledge of semiconductor materials, IC Design, semiconductor manufacturing technology, microelectronic systems and sensors, photonics and nanocomponents. Students learn theory combined with practice in the laboratory, participate in research projects and intern at leading technology companies.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen The Toan, Head of the Physics Department, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said that students studying this program will be well-trained, have a solid theoretical knowledge base and proficient practical skills to work in important positions in the semiconductor industry such as manufacturing; design, packaging and calibration of integrated semiconductor components (IC); development of new materials to improve the quality of components and equipment.

They are also able to participate in research and teaching assistantship at research facilities and higher education institutions; can continue to study and research at higher levels in the field of semiconductor technology and related fields; highly adaptable to the demands of the labor market.

In addition to professional training, students are trained in soft skills, communication, management, teamwork and good foreign language skills to work in a multidisciplinary, multicultural and multinational environment.

Students will be exposed to and familiarized with scientific research capacity from the first year, self-study and update new knowledge and technology; have entrepreneurial and innovative thinking, objective thinking, scientific research skills and solve practical problems. At the same time, they will be able to apply the knowledge and skills gained into actual production to improve the quality of processes and products.

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen The Toan, the Faculty of Physics has closely coordinated with many technology enterprises to provide students with opportunities to intern, research and work in practice, improving their competitiveness upon graduation.

The Faculty of Physics in particular and the University of Natural Sciences in general have many policies to attract and support excellent students to participate in the semiconductor technology training program. Students have the opportunity to receive valuable scholarships from many Scholarship Funds (worth over 10 billion VND). In addition, they are given the opportunity to participate in internship courses at domestic and foreign technology corporations to improve their knowledge.

In the context of the 4.0 industrial revolution and the explosion of AI, the demand for semiconductors is increasing strongly globally. Illustration

Dr. Hoang Chi Hieu, Deputy Head of the Physics Department, said that the Department is a key research unit with the only clean room infrastructure at Hanoi National University, with suitable equipment for manufacturing semiconductor materials and components.

The Physics Department Laboratory is a modern research and practice facility, serving the training and scientific research in physics and related fields. With a system of advanced equipment, the laboratory helps students, graduate students and researchers access practical experiments, from basic physics to high-tech applications.

"The laboratory is organized into many specialized groups such as theoretical physics, solid state physics, applied physics, optics - spectroscopy, nuclear physics and biomedical physics. Research here not only contributes to improving the quality of training but also has high applicability in science and technology," said Dr. Hoang Chi Hieu.

Dr. Hoang Chi Hieu further emphasized that the Faculty of Physics is constantly transforming basic research into high-tech scientific products, the spearhead of the semiconductor technology training program.

Wide open job opportunities, international reach

Talking about job opportunities after graduation, according to Dr. Hoang Chi Hieu, the semiconductor industry is growing strongly globally, opening up many attractive job opportunities for semiconductor technology graduates.

Graduates can work at large chip and semiconductor manufacturing companies such as Intel, Samsung, TSMC, GlobalFoundries, Foxconn…; electronics technology corporations Apple, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Sony…; research institutes and laboratories on materials, microchips and nanotechnology; high-tech and IoT startups; or teach at universities.

In addition, students have many opportunities to access scholarships to continue their master's/doctoral studies at the world's leading universities in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the US, etc.

The demand for human resources in the chip industry is in short supply globally with highly qualified human resources and attractive salaries. Graduates have an advantage to compete in large domestic and foreign corporations.

140 enrollment targets, according to 7 groups

Hanoi National University has assigned the University of Natural Sciences to open a bachelor's program in semiconductor technology, enrolling the first class in 2025 with 140 students.

In 2025, the Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi will start enrolling students for the Semiconductor Technology training program, full-time bachelor's degree training, with 140 targets and admission combinations: A00, A01, A02, C01, C02, B00, D07.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Department of Training and Student Affairs, Hanoi National University, the fact that Hanoi National University assigned the Faculty of Physics, University of Natural Sciences to open a bachelor's program in Semiconductor Technology not only meets the urgent need for human resources, but also contributes to enhancing Vietnam's position in the global supply chain.

This is an opportunity for pioneering universities to train semiconductor experts to serve the country's development in the digital age.

The clean laboratory system of the Faculty of Physics, University of Science, VNU is equipped with modern and advanced equipment. Photo: VNU

The bachelor's program in semiconductor technology is divided into 3 orientations: Semiconductor and IC manufacturing technology; Semiconductor packaging and testing technology; Semiconductor material technology.

“With the goal of fully equipping students with basic and specialized knowledge of semiconductor technology, after graduation, Hanoi National University students can confidently apply it in practice, meeting the demand for high-quality human resources of the 4.0 technology revolution, creative startups and international integration,” Associate Professor Nguyen Anh Tuan emphasized.

Semiconductor technology is the "backbone" of the digital economy, playing a core role in the production of microchips, electronic chips, sensors and high-tech devices. In the context of the 4.0 industrial revolution and AI explosion, the demand for semiconductors is increasing strongly globally, especially in the fields of: electronics and telecommunications, smart cars and electric vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities. The shortage of high-quality human resources is becoming a major barrier to the development of this industry.

According to experts, the demand for human resources in semiconductor technology is increasing. Many reports show that the semiconductor industry is facing a shortage of human resources on a global scale. Large technology corporations such as Micron, Intel, Samsung, TSMC, Qualcomm, etc. all need a team of semiconductor engineers with deep expertise to serve production and research and development (R&D).

In Vietnam, the Government is strongly promoting the semiconductor industry, attracting investment from "big guys" such as TSMC, Samsung, Intel, Amkor, etc. The demand for human resources in this field is expected to increase 3-4 times in the next decade, requiring human resources with formal qualifications in microchip design, semiconductor manufacturing and product quality control.

In recent years, a series of universities have opened majors related to semiconductor training.

The Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Education and Training to urgently develop training program standards for semiconductor microchips. To implement this directive, the Ministry of Education and Training immediately issued an action plan and decided to establish a working group and an Advisory Council to develop training program standards for semiconductor microchips.

Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training is soliciting comments on the Draft Standard for undergraduate and master's training programs on semiconductor microchips.

Thuy Duong

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/cong-nghe-ban-dan-la-xuong-song-cua-nen-kinh-te-so-sinh-vien-se-duoc-dao-tao-nhu-the-nao-post410018.html