Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC) board of directors on Wednesday passed a resolution to donate up to NT$4 billion (US$123.9 million) to four universities and several senior-high schools in the nation for semiconductor research promotion and talent cultivation.
The board approved the donation to National Taiwan University (NTU), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), and several senior-high schools to enhance long-term semiconductor research, education and talent development, the company said in a statement.
The resolution marked a significant expansion of TSMC’s collaboration with education institutions in executing industry-academia projects.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
With a severe shortage of talent in the chip industry, the world’s largest contract chipmaker in 2019 initiated a semiconductor training program at NTHU and, as of last year, it had introduced training sessions in 13 schools, including NTU, NCKU, NYCU and National Taipei University of Technology, with more than 7,600 students signing up, the statement said.
These cooperative projects were designed to encourage university professors to engage in research relating to high-end semiconductor technologies and offer students the opportunity to learn hands-on.
To meet long-term capacity plans and a technology development roadmap, the board also approved capital appropriations of approximately US$17.36 billion for the installation and upgrade of advanced technology capacity; installation and upgrade of advanced packaging, mature and/or specialty technology capacity; fab construction and equipment installation, it said.
In addition, the board passed a resolution for a capital injection of no more than US$5 billion to wholly owned subsidiary TSMC Global Ltd to reduce foreign exchange hedging costs.
To offset the dilution from the increase in outstanding shares due to the issuance of employee restricted stock awards, the board also approved a plan to buy back 3,249,000 TSMC common shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, it said.
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