Industry-Academia Collaborations

Rapid advancements in technology and the increased in demand for skilled professionals have greatly intensified the war for talent in the semiconductor industry. To support the growth momentum of the industry, ASEH has established long-term industry-academia collaborations with colleges and universities to develop future talent. We seek to address the talent shortage in the industry by providing students with an early understanding of industrial needs and advanced semiconductor technology development, as well as connecting knowledge acquired in the classroom with practical industrial applications. Industry-academic collaboration enables us to offer a range of industry-specific courses, academic programs, and internship opportunities that strengthen the bridge between academia and the industry, powering an energetic pool of semiconductor talent for a winning future.

ASEH has created key programs like "academia cooperation and corporate internship", "academic research collaboration", and "scholarships" to leverage on the expertise from these academic resources. In 2023, ASEH continued its collaborations with local schools, contributing over US$7.5 million, including US$3 million towards 81 technology research collaborations and US$0.7 million for scholarships. We also recruited 502 interns and enrolled 453 students in the semiconductor courses. Nearly 80 schools and research institutions in Taiwan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, etc. were involved in these collaborations.

In response to the decreasing birth rate and the rising demand for advanced technology talent, Taiwan’s Executive Yuan proposed a National Key Fields Industry-University Cooperation and Skilled Personnel Training Regulation in 2020. Following the proposed act, approval was given to the National Sun Yat-sen University(NSYSU) to establish the College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research in 2022. NSYSU is a premier university in Taiwan for key science and technology talents, and the semiconductor college will offer courses from the Institute of Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Testing and the Institute of Precision Electronic Components. As a leading semiconductor packaging and testing player, ASE is proud to have played a significant role together with other industry peers on the establishment of the NSYSU college. ASE and the industry partners are committed to collaborate closely and invest generously to the building of semiconductor talent in Taiwan over the next decade.

The NSYSU College of Semiconductor and Advanced Technology Research admits a total of 120 students annually, comprising 80 students from the Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Testing center, and 40 from the Electronic Components center. The college aims to develop 960 skilled individuals over a period of 10 years to meet the needs of the semiconductor sector. In 2023, ASEH made a financial contribution of US$1.7 million to the college, that was used to fund a total of 130 students from the first and second batches of the Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Testing center. ASEH’s contribution provided financial assistance to the largest number of students of any company involved in the project.

The curriculum uses an innovative talent development model consisting of one year of academic studies and two years of corporate internship. Students in the three-year program may be eligible to receive a scholarship of US$33,000 over a span of three years. The college’s faculty, composed of ASEH industry experts and university professors, studies the needs of the industry and develops a professional course map and specialized technical research topics. ASEH and the college work closely together to establish a comprehensive curriculum and support mechanism, and design course modules tailored to industrial needs. The result is an integrated course content and internships that become progressively more in-depth and combine learning with hands-on experience. Upon completion of the internship, students may opt to pursue full-time employment with the company, benefiting the students and their families, the industry, and the nation as a whole. ASEH is proactively engaged in initiatives designed to bolster Taiwan’s global competitiveness in the semiconductor industry, while generating local employment opportunities and a well-trained workforce for industrial growth.

ASE Kaohsiung is aggressively accelerating its digital transformation through smart manufacturing and pivoting into the era of Industry 4.0. The company has integrated the technology capabilities of academic institutions, and leveraged smart AI technologies as an inherent influence in corporate sustainability. Since 2015, ASEH has funded 49 industry-academia research projects in automation technologies.

In 2023, ASE Kaohsiung implemented five joint projects in collaboration with National Cheng Kung University and National Sun Yat-sen University. As a step to achieving ASE Kaohsiung’s net-zero action plans, an information database and forecasting system was created to estimate the carbon emissions that may be derived from new products at each facility. In response to global cybersecurity threats, we have adopted data mining technologies that analyze account utilization patterns, identify potentially suspicious activities, and take preventive measures to enhance information security. To optimize manufacturing processes, artificial intelligence (AI) is used to assist our employees in the scheduling of machine operations and production, creating a cost-effective model with the shortest production and delivery time. To gain competitive differentiation, a high-performance database middleware was developed to improve data models, algorithms, and information management, facilitating the exploration and analysis of vast quantities of data, strengthening links with production lines, and avoiding data silos. We have also implemented a thematic analysis-based ASE knowledge map that transforms data into valuable knowledge. By adopting a multidimensional approach, we can now perform comprehensive and unbiased problem analysis, which not only minimizes query time but also enables the acquisition of more insightful information.

As part of our long-term strategy for smart manufacturing, ASE Kaohsiung is developing an Industrial AI (IAI) blueprint, and establishing a No Code IAI 2.0 platform. These undertakings are designed to be implemented in the areas of smart information security, quality assurance, smart diagnosis, smart design, and parameter optimization. Automation plays a key role in ASEH’s digital transformation journey and AI technology is helping us to improve the accuracy of production scheduling and process output. In 2022, ASE Kaohsiung was inducted into the World Economic Forum Global Lighthouse Network (WEF GLN), becoming the first OSAT to achieve this distinction. At the end of 2022, ASEH has 46 smart factories in operation and the company has trained more than 700 automation engineers.

To continuously enhance its key technological capabilities, ASE Kaohsiung has partnered with National Cheng Kung University, National Chung Cheng University, National Sun Yat-sen University, and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology for eleven consecutive years on industry-academia research that is focused on packaging technology. In 2023, we organized the 11th Packaging Technology Industry-Academia Conference to present the findings of 15 research projects. ASE and the universities work closely together to spark innovation, and develop cutting-edge packaging technologies; strengthening ASE’s connection across the global supply chain, and enabling the optimization of technologies and practical application.

Shortage and strengthen Taiwan’s position as a global IC packaging cluster. The partnerships have allowed us to train highly skilled talent in advanced manufacturing processes, accumulated extensive technology and interdisciplinary R&D capabilities, and provided employment opportunities for students. With the rise in AI and autonomous driving, we have directed focus on ‘advanced packaging and optical technologies’ as well as ‘AI applications and simulation technologies’. To meet market demands for miniaturization, we are incorporating AI computing into micro-machining technology to develop die cut tools for miniaturized chip packages. Smart automation in process design further improves the efficacy of detection and verification, optimizing product models and reducing development costs and time.

Advanced packaging is a crucial enabler of AI. As a leading semiconductor player, ASE has built a portfolio of advanced packaging technologies to meet the demands of high performance IOT, and to address the exploding growth of the AI eco-system with the corresponding increase in chip demand. We understand that the key to maintaining our market leadership in the future is dependent on the training of skilled talents. As such, we are forging robust partnerships that maximize the abundant resources and capabilities of businesses, government, academia, and research institutions to generate local employment opportunities. In addition, we seek to promote the development of a strong semiconductor human capital base, and strengthen Taiwan’s global position by fostering greater collaboration in semiconductor technologies and providing support for internship programs.

To continue nurturing the much needed skillset and interest in semiconductor engineering,Silicon Precision Industries Ltd. (SPIL) has been building collaborative relationships with top universities. For ten consecutive years, SPIL hasco-organized the University Corporate Mentors program with the National Chung Hsing University. The program organized activities such as; challenges in the semiconductor engineering workforce forum, production line tours, mentor-mentee dinners, forum on graduate students’ work life experiences, and the Team Silicon Adventure competition, for students to gain insights into industry dynamics and explore career interests. SPIL’s program encourage greater student participation and engagement, and directly help to attract outstanding talents and prepare students for employment. In 2023, a total of 296 students participated in the University Corporate Mentors program, accumulating 1,569 hours of participation. In addition to providing students with knowledge and opportunities in the OSAT industry, the program serves as a means for the industry to contribute to schools and society.

SPIL has been engaged in a collaborative partnership with National Chung Hsing University since 2016 to conduct courses on semiconductor materials and manufacturing processes. The main objective of this initiative is to improve the expertise of local semiconductor professionals by providing students with practical skills, and attracting talented students to join the semiconductor sector. SPIL has since expanded its academic programs to Feng Chia University and National Chi Nan University in 2022 and 2023 respectively. In addition to engaging with universities to offer courses on semiconductors, we also send senior employees from the company to be guest lecturers to offer first hand expert perspectives on the latest in technology and industry landscape. In 2023, 124 students attended the course, recording a total of 4,698 hours of class participation. SPIL is committed to a sustainable educational framework that provides students with diverse learning opportunities, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Employee education, training and transfer of skills rank highly at USI. To that end, the USI University was established in 2006 to provide free courses covering corporate experiences, management knowledge and the latest technology and industry trends. The USI University actively collaborates with industry and public associations, and universities and provides internally trained instructors to design the courses.

The USI University offers a wide range of courses that include the sharing of ESG practices, labor relations in corporate development, DISC Personality Assessment and communication management, Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D), and the seven basic quality tools. Additionally, USI organizes career planning courses that offer students practical experience in the workplace environment. In 2023, USI University shared a total of 20 courses, with a cumulative duration of 1,392 hours, contributing to the enhancement of youth employability.

To cultivate students equipped with both practical and theoretical knowledge and integrate learning and application, USI offers industry-academia internships at multiple facilities. We recruit students from various universities for on-site internships and provide one-on-one mentorship and training. This prepares students for a smooth transition into the workplace upon graduation. In 2023, a total of 106 students participated in on-site internships. Besides internship opportunities, USI’s Taiwan facilities have also developed various projects together with the National Tsinghua University, National Taipei University of Technology, and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. The joint projects are: Development of Millimeter-wave Photoconductive Antenna Module; Reliability Testing for Module Miniaturization; High-precision Rapid Printing of LED Luminous Mask with Cured Resin for Electronic Device Components; and Computer Simulation Technology for Bonding Electronic Device Components. In 2023, a total of 679 students benefited from the industry-academia internship cooperation, accumulating a total of 63,710 hours of participation.