As TSMC expands its presence in Japan, Taiwan and Japan are deepening academic collaboration to address the growing demand for semiconductor talent. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Kyushu University recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Fukuoka to jointly advance education, research, and innovation in the semiconductor sector.
TSMC's second Kumamoto plant set for 2027 production
TSMC has commenced mass production at its first wafer fab in Kumamoto, Japan. A second facility is scheduled to break ground in late 2025 and is expected to begin producing 6nm chips by the end of 2027. This rapid expansion highlights Japan's pressing need for a skilled workforce and provides momentum for Taiwan-Japan academic cooperation.
To reinforce cross-border collaboration, NYCU President Chi-hung Lin, Vice President and Dean of the Industry-Academia Innovation School Jack Sun, and other senior officials visited Fukuoka for the 2025 Taiwan-Japan Global Semiconductor Partnership and Innovation Startup Forum, an event co-hosted by NYCU and Kyushu University on July 10-11.
During the event, both universities signed an MoU aimed at supporting Japan's efforts to expand its semiconductor talent pool. NYCU also announced that the 2026 edition of the forum will be held in either Taipei or Hsinchu, continuing the dialogue on semiconductor technology, talent development, and startup ecosystems.
NYCU: Vital incubator of semiconductor talent
Located in the heart of Hsinchu Science Park, NYCU has long been a vital talent source for Taiwan's semiconductor industry. It produces specialists across a wide range of disciplines—including electronics, control systems, optoelectronics, electronic physics, computer science, and chemical engineering.
Given its influence, NYCU's leadership team—including President Lin, Vice President Sun, and Vice President Ta-sung Lee—drew considerable attention from Japanese participants during the forum.
Japan seeks to replicate Taiwan's innovation ecosystem
Takashi Kiyoura, Deputy Director-General of the Research Promotion Bureau at Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), addressed the forum, remarking that "Japan sees Taiwan as a model in semiconductor education and ecosystem building. We are eager to learn from NYCU's experience in integrating academia with industry needs, and we believe this partnership with Kyushu University will catalyze Japan's innovation pipeline."
Joint campus initiative
According to NYCU, the newly signed MoU outlines plans to launch a joint campus initiative by around 2027. Discussions are underway to allow 10 to 20 undergraduate and graduate students from Kyushu University to study at NYCU annually. The two institutions are also working toward mutual credit recognition, joint degree programs, faculty exchange, shared research facilities, and co-developed curriculum.
Beyond education, the partnership will also focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. NYCU and Kyushu University plan to jointly support campus-based startups and help them expand into each other's markets, establishing a two-way platform for research and industrial collaboration.
Seiji Samukawa, Director of NYCU's Taiwan-Japan Exchange Office and professor at NYCU's Institute of Electronics, emphasized the strategic importance of this collaboration. He noted that "TSMC's success is built on a tightly integrated academic and industrial ecosystem. We hope to help transplant this model to Japan to drive local innovation and sustainable industrial growth."
Article edited by Jack Wu
