Yeungnam University (President CHOI Oe-chool) is accelerating its efforts to cultivate semiconductor specialists through its Semiconductor Specialized University Project Group. By building hands-on, industry-aligned education infrastructure and offering company-tailored curricula, YU is producing talent equipped to meet the demands of the semiconductor field.

 YU actively supports the government’s national policy to train semiconductor professionals in the era of AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The university has established practice-oriented education systems connected to local ICT industries, the future mobility sector, and the regional semiconductor-specialized zone. It is focusing on developing demand-responsive programs to strengthen Korea’s semiconductor competitiveness by training talent specialized in materials, components, equipment, devices, and fabrication processes. 

At the heart of this effort is the Center for Advanced Semiconductor Component Technology (CASCT), which provides access to an in-house fabrication (FAB) facility. Leveraging this infrastructure, YU offers specialized education on next-generation power semiconductors and sensor devices based on wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors and III-V compound semiconductors—technologies that outperform traditional silicon in functionality and performance for applications such as power semiconductors, sensors, and quantum devices. Furthermore, YU has adopted an industry-academia cooperation model in which companies actively participate in both curriculum development and program operation. This strengthens the foundation for producing work-ready graduates and reinforces the university’s collaborative ties with industry.

To encourage broader student participation, YU implements a flexible, department-neutral recruitment process that enables students from a variety of majors to join the semiconductor training program. Currently, nine departments are involved in the initiative, with approximately 30 full-time faculty members dedicated to delivering expert instruction. Beginning with an annual output of 120 trained professionals in 2025, YU plans to expand the program to cultivate 200 graduates per year by 2027.

 In addition, the CASCT serves as the core of several semiconductor-related talent development and research initiatives, including the Regional University Revitalization Project, the Gyeongbuk Semiconductor Super-Gap Talent Development Project, the Gyeongsan Education Advancement Special Zone Project, and the National Research Foundation's Nano Material Technology Development Program. YU is playing a critical role in producing the skilled workforce needed by both the region and the nation. YU also takes on the role of a "Semiconductor Academy" for Gyeongbuk Province by providing semiconductor education to elementary, middle, and high school students, thereby promoting the spread of semiconductor education among future generations.

President CHOI Oe-chool of Yeungnam University stated, “The key to success in the semiconductor industry lies in securing outstanding talent. YU will become a core hub for next-generation semiconductor research and education.” He added, “Building on this achievement, we will continue to expand our role as a university that cultivates top-tier professionals aligned with the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the local industries.”