Korea University partners with SK Hynix in fostering semiconductor engineers

Department of Semiconductor Engineering to be established for undergraduates in 2021

▲ Dong Sub Kim (left), president of SK Hynix Communication & External Affairs, and Jin Taek Chung (right), 

president of Korea University, take a photo via teleconferencing to commemorate the signing of an agreement 

to establish the Department of Semiconductor Engineering.

Korea University and SK Hynix will be jointly operating the Department of Semiconductor Engineering beginning in 2021. Every year, 30 students will be admitted to the department, and they will be guaranteed employment at SK Hynix after graduation. Out of the 30 students, 25 will be recruited through special admission (10 for academic excellence, 15 for aptitude) and 5 through regular admission.

In addition to getting a full tuition scholarship from SK Hynix, the students will have opportunities to participate in SK Hynix internships, broaden their horizons at CES in Las Vegas and training programs in Silicon Valley (Google, Apple, Intel, etc.), attend special lectures conducted by prominent guest speakers, join undergraduate internship programs, pursue a graduate degree in related fields, and receive additional grants for academic excellence. Those who join a master’s/integrated master’s and doctoral program will continue to receive support for tuition and other educational expenses.

On April 10, the two institutes signed an agreement on the establishment of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering via teleconferencing at Korea University and SK Hynix Bundang Campus, respectively. The agreement signing was attended by Jin Taek Chung, president of Korea University; Joong Hoon Kim, dean of the College of Engineering; Jong Sun Park, head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering; Dong Sub Kim, president of SK Hynix Communication & External Affairs; and Man-Seok Yoo, senior managing director in charge of corporate culture.

Korea University and SK Hynix have developed a four-year curriculum for the new department. The degree program is designed to foster talent who possess outstanding problem-solving skills and practical knowledge. Students will attend fundamental major courses in the freshman and sophomore years, followed by intensive major courses, multidisciplinary courses and internships in the junior and senior years.

Graduates of the department will be employed at SK Hynix based on their GPA and internship activities. They may also pursue a graduate degree under the Department of Semiconductor System Engineering, acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to mature into professionals in artificial intelligence, mobile technology, autonomous vehicles, and big data.

The new department is not the first partnership between Korea University and SK Hynix. The two institutes launched a university-industry cooperation program in 2005, and have been offering a graduate degree program through the Department of System Engineering since 2009.

Jin Taek Chung, the president of Korea University, said, “I am very pleased to announce that the university will be opening the Department of Semiconductor Engineering in partnership with SK Hynix. We will do our best to instill creative problem-solving and foster semiconductor professionals through a differentiated curriculum.”

Jong Sun Park, the head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering, stated, “To ensure the continued growth of the semiconductor industry, it is essential to produce experts beginning at the undergraduate level. I expect the department to play a key role in enhancing the university’s status as an educational institute dedicated to the fostering of experts in semiconductor engineering.”

Dong Sub Kim (left), president of SK Hynix Communication & External Affairs, said, “Semiconductors are the key to success in the fourth industrial revolution, which revolves around big data and AI. SK Hynix will fully support the Department of Semiconductor Engineering in becoming a hub of advanced technology, so as to create a better world to live in.”