TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Twenty-three delegates visited the Semiconductor Talent Cultivation Base at Minghsin University of Science and Technology (MUST) on Tuesday (Aug. 6), as part of the Semiconductor Development Workshop hosted by the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF)..

According to MUST, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) commissioned TaiwanICDF to organize the event. The delegation hailed from 14 countries, including Oman, Italy, Slovakia, Lithuania, Chile, and Indonesia, and were accompanied by TaiwanICDF Deputy Secretary General Stephen J. H. Lee (李志宏).

MUST President Lin Chii-ruey (林啟瑞) welcomed the guests and introduced the operation model of the semiconductor talent cultivation base at the university. The president said in line with national policy and global industry trends, MUST set up Taiwan’s first “Semiconductor Packaging and Testing Factory” in 2019, followed by its “Semiconductor School.” In 2022, they expanded and established a “Semiconductor Talent Cultivation Base,” akin to a mini Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Additionally, with the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Department of International and Cross-strait Education support, Lin said they developed semiconductor technology courses in Chinese. He said that many foreign students visit MUST for learning, including the U.S. and Australia.

Lee said Taiwan has the world’s most comprehensive semiconductor industry cluster and professionals, making it a crucial pillar for government-driven innovation. However, the semiconductor industry is a capital-intensive sector with high technical barriers and high energy consumption, and long-term investment needs for critical production processes and equipment. Therefore, the workshop was specifically organized for officials from various countries’ technology departments, university professors, and scholars interested in semiconductors.

The school reported attendees visited the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Center Institute, Hsinchu Science Park Administration, and supply chain companies including Realtek and ASE. A visit to MUST’s Semiconductor Talent Cultivation Base was arranged to help participants understand Taiwan's vocational education in semiconductor talent development.

MUST said that the participants were impressed by the facility’s equipment. They also had the chance to interact with the faculty and staff and operate on-site teaching equipment.