Semiconductor
Workforce Development – Universities
Universities worldwide supply the pipeline of engineers, materials scientists, and technologists needed to sustain the semiconductor industry. Programs span semiconductor engineering, materials science, manufacturing, nanotechnology, and adjacent degrees (electrical engineering, applied physics, chemical engineering). With the U.S. CHIPS Act and similar global initiatives, many universities are scaling up dedicated semiconductor curricula, research facilities, and industry partnerships.
Major U.S. Universities
| University | Program / Department | Degree Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University (ASU) | School of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering | Semiconductor engineering, materials, advanced packaging | Aligned with TSMC fab buildout in Arizona |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute (Albany) | College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering | Nanofabrication, wafer processing, device physics | Home to Albany Nanotech Complex |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | EECS, Materials Science, MIT.nano | Semiconductor devices, quantum electronics, AI hardware | Pioneer in nanoelectronics and chip design |
| Stanford University | Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics | IC design, device physics, nanofabrication | Strong EDA and fabless ecosystem ties |
| University of California, Berkeley | Dept. of EECS | Microelectronics, VLSI, materials for semiconductors | Historic RISC architecture origins |
| Purdue University | Birck Nanotechnology Center | Semiconductor materials, power electronics (SiC/GaN) | Leading U.S. workforce development hub |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | School of Electrical & Computer Engineering | Packaging, device fabrication, nanoelectronics | Key player in advanced packaging R&D |
| University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign | Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering | Device physics, photonics, materials | Semiconductor research pioneer |
| University of Michigan | ECE, Materials Science & Engineering | MEMS, nanoelectronics, automotive semiconductors | Automotive electronics and chip packaging focus |
| University of Texas at Austin | Cockrell School of Engineering (ECE, Materials) | Semiconductor process, chip design, photonics | Adjacent to Samsung Taylor fab and NXP sites |
International Leaders
| University | Country | Program / Department | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Tsing Hua University | Taiwan | Electrical Engineering | IC design, process technology, photonics; strong TSMC ties |
| National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) | Taiwan | College of Electrical & Computer Engineering | Devices, circuits, systems integration |
| Tokyo Institute of Technology | Japan | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Microelectronics, MEMS, VLSI systems |
| Seoul National University | South Korea | Electrical Engineering | Semiconductor devices, memory design, materials |
| KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology) | South Korea | Materials Science, EE | Nanoelectronics, packaging, AI hardware |
| Technical University of Munich (TUM) | Germany | ECE, Physics | Nanoelectronics, automotive semiconductors |
| University of Cambridge | UK | Engineering, Materials Science | Compound semiconductors, quantum devices |
| ETH Zürich | Switzerland | IT & Electrical Engineering | Power semiconductors, micro/nanoelectronics |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) | India | Electrical Engineering | Semiconductor fabrication, device modeling |