The government aims to boost the nation’s semiconductor industry through training programs by committing NT$9.6 billion (US$330.81 million) to a 12-year program that includes expanding the semiconductor technology colleges at four universities, Executive Yuan sources said on Sunday.
The Executive Yuan has formed an inter-ministerial task force to develop a program to train technicians, engineers and researchers for the semiconductor and IC chip industries, sources said.
Manufacturers would provide some financial support, and help set the program’s training and course requirements, sources said, adding that the law would be amended to lift restrictions on the hiring of professors and funding allocation at the selected universities.
Each of the selected universities would receive NT$200 million per year for the degree programs at their College of Semiconductor Technology, with the government and industry providing equal funding, the sources said.
There would be an additional 400 places for students in master’s and doctoral programs, they said, adding that details are expected to be finalized at end of this month, with the goal of starting recruiting and enrollment next year.
Preparations are underway to broaden enrollment for information and communication technology (ICT) degree programs at universities and colleges under the Ministry of Education’s goal of having 83,000 graduates by 2030, the sources said.
Ministry officials said the ICT programs are set to last 11 years, from this year to 2030, with each school expanding their enrolling in those programs by 10 to 15 percent, which would mean an additional 3,100 to 3,500 students per year.
Three-thousand more students were enrolled in ICT degree programs when the 2020-2021 school year started last month, they said.
By expanding the four universities’ semiconductor technology colleges, the nation would gain an additional 5,000 graduates with master’s degrees or doctorates over the 12-year period, while the ICT programs would see an additional enrollment figure of 38,000 through its 11-year period, they said.
Officials are in talks with National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University about the programs, while National Central University and National Chung Hsing University are reportedly lobbying to be included, sources said.
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