2025 Activity Report vol.20:Waseda University

In the third call for proposals of FY2025, the exchange program theme “Exploring the Semiconductor Supply Chain” proposed by the Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems, Waseda University (Waseda IPS) was selected. From January 25 to 30, the invited institution was National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT), whose students were hosted in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. NTUT launched a bachelor's program in “Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes and Equipment” in September 2025, including a special class that accepts 30 Japanese exchange students. In response, Waseda IPS organized a program for NTUT students in the field of electronic engineering, centered on company visits to leading Japanese firms in design, manufacturing, and product testing that constitute the semiconductor supply chain—Mitsubishi Electric Power Device Works, TOPPAN Technical Design Center, and Advantest Kyushu Systems—as well as lectures delivered by seven leading professors from Waseda IPS.

To avoid one-way information flow in which the invited students would be mere recipients, and to encourage their active participation, the following activities were arranged: Before visiting Kitakyushu, students studied the research of IPS faculty members in their fields of interest and prepared questions to ask during the lectures; Prior to company visits, students investigated the products designed and manufactured by each company and prepared questions to ask during the visits; After the lectures and company visits, students shared what they had newly discovered and reflected on how their perspectives had expanded through the program.

A networking session between the visiting students from Taiwan and IPS students was also held during lunch. IPS students introduced themselves by focusing on two points: how they came to join their current IPS laboratories and what they are currently most passionate about (whether in research, hobbies, or future plans). Many Taiwanese students choose an English name when they start learning English, so IPS students were also asked to come up with their own English names in advance and begin their self-introductions with “Call me XX.” IPS students who wished to participate also joined the company visits. Through conversations during the trip, they had the opportunity to learn about each other's everyday lives. At the request of the section chief in charge of foreign talent in Kitakyushu City, a 20-minute presentation was included between lectures to convey the charm of the city and introduce the agreement with NTUT and its first internship program to be implemented next fiscal year. These activities were timely reported on Instagram, Facebook, and X by the IPS public relations team.

Through conversations during the trip, they had the opportunity to learn about each other's everyday lives. At the request of the section chief in charge of foreign talent in Kitakyushu City, a 20-minute presentation was included between lectures to convey the charm of the city and introduce the agreement with NTUT and its first internship program to be implemented next fiscal year. These activities were timely reported on Instagram, Facebook, and X by the IPS public relations team.

After returning to Taiwan, each invited student was asked to reflect on how they could contribute to society through their future involvement in the semiconductor industry. As a final presentation, they shared in an online meeting their current vision of what kind of company or organization they would like to work for and what kind of work they hope to do. Through this program, the invited students were able to attend special lectures by leading researchers in the semiconductor field and visit companies with world-class technologies. We expect that this will promote exchanges between educational and research institutions and contribute to the advancement of science and technology in Japan and worldwide.