KU Leuven and TU Eindhoven signed a cooperation agreement in the field of semicon (semiconductor technology) today Monday, 1 July in Leuven, aimed at joint education and research. The aim is to connect and strengthen the strong semicon knowledge ecosystems around Eindhoven (Brainport) and Leuven (Mindgate), in cooperation with ASML and IMEC, among others. The parties thus contribute to, among other things, the European Chips Act and the Dutch reinforcement plan for the microchip sector ('Beethoven').
Research and PhD students
In the agreement, the two universities agree to jointly train jointly funded PhD students to become semiconductor top experts. These PhD students will conduct research in areas relevant to the semicon, including AI, mechatronics, software development, materials science, plasma physics, microchip technology and optics. The universities are also setting up a seed fund to explore new research paths, and will look for opportunities to attract external research funding.
Education
In addition, KU Leuven and TU/e plan to set up joint master education tracks in areas such as optics, photonics, quantum technology, semiconductor engineering and high-tech systems engineering, with exchanges between the two institutions of both students and researchers. Here, the cooperation of KU Leuven, IMEC, TU/e and ASML will provide additional attraction for master's students. The two universities will also explore the possibilities of creating a joint bachelor's programme.
Furthermore, there will be a 'Summer School', exclusively for 100 top students worldwide each year in areas relevant to the semicon. The Summer School will be organised together with industrial partners.
4 million
The universities will closely involve IMEC and ASML in the cooperation, and are investigating which other parties can get involved. TU/e recently already concluded a large cooperation agreement with ASML. Together, the universities will invest at least 4 million euros, and that amount will in all likelihood increase through the recruitment of additional funds and possible new courses.
Rector Silvia Lenaerts
"We have high expectations from this cooperation," says TU/e rector Silvia Lenaerts. "As top semicon institutions, both embedded in their own regional knowledge and innovation ecosystem, we complement each other perfectly. Europe faces a considerable challenge to gain a better position in the global semiconductor sector. This is crucial for our strategic autonomy, for our earning power and for solving societal challenges. This cooperation is a very important step in that."
Rector Luc Sels
KU Leuven's Rector Luc Sels is enthusiastic about the collaboration: "We speak the same language in so many ways. I am very happy that we can build on our trust-based relationship, geographical proximity and existing collaborations with TU/e to further position our interconnected regions as an important backbone of the European semiconductor landscape."
Future Chips Flagship
TU/e has been active in semiconductor technology for more than 50 years. Some 700 TU/e researchers are currently working in this field, in the university' s Future Chips flagship . TU/e already signed last year a letter of intent with KU Leuven and RWTH Aachen for cooperation in the field of AI.
Source: TU/e news
Enlish version.
