The Netherlands semiconductor industry is seeking to attract South Korean talent through a new university program called 'Future Chips Academy.' This initiative, based in the Eindhoven tech hub, involves inviting students from three South Korean universities, aiming to leverage South Korea's advanced semiconductor expertise. South Korea, with its leading semiconductor companies like Samsung and SK Hynix, is a crucial player in the global semiconductor landscape.

The Dutch program aims to attract talent but also to promote tighter relations between the two countries' semiconductor industries. This includes potential cooperation in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing technology, where the Netherlands has several universities offering specialised master's programs.

Why does it matter?

The Dutch program demonstrates an awareness of the critical role chips play in modern technology and the global economy. Home to ASML, a global provider of lithography equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, the Netherlands is willing to secure its position and enhance its semiconductor supply chain.

The industry initiative highlights a strategic move to address the high-tech labour shortage in the Eindhoven region and to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry. The program is also part of a more comprehensive effort by the Netherlands to grow a deliberate partnership with South Korea, focusing on a semiconductor alliance amid global supply chain disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions. Indeed, the move comes as the chipmaking sector faces intense rivalry and supply instability, aggravated by an ongoing tech battle between the US and China.

Ultimately, the Netherlands' efforts to attract South Korean semiconductor talent and foster bilateral cooperation amid broader concerns about technology leaks and industrial secrets seek to reinforce the Netherlands' market position in the global semiconductor industry.