Selected last year in a competitive call to establish a Semiconductor Joint Research Center valued at KRW 60.2 billion and having begun building a next-generation semiconductor research hub, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) is accelerating the training of semiconductor professionals by introducing industry-linked courses in the second semester following the first.

The JBNU Semiconductor Joint Research Center Establishment Task Force announced that it will offer two industry-linked courses in the second semester of the 2026 academic year: "Introduction to the Semiconductor Industry for Non-Majors" and "Semiconductor Chemical Materials."

The new courses were introduced to link the large-scale research infrastructure being developed around the Semiconductor Joint Research Center with the educational environment and to systematically cultivate talent with the practical skills demanded by industry.

Notably, the second-semester courses significantly broaden the scope of education, which last semester focused mainly on students in related majors. In response to growing interest in the semiconductor industry among students from other majors, "Introduction to the Semiconductor Industry for Non-Majors" allows not only non-semiconductor majors but also students in the humanities to learn about the industry's structure, technologies, and future prospects.

Through this, students are expected to explore possibilities for integrating their own majors with the semiconductor industry and to expand their career options. As the semiconductor industry connects beyond engineering to management, economics, and the humanities and social sciences, this initiative is seen as laying the foundation for cultivating interdisciplinary talent.

"Semiconductor Chemical Materials" likewise focuses on deepening understanding of the materials and chemical industries—core areas of the semiconductor sector—and on strengthening practical skills. A newly appointed faculty member who previously served as an executive at SK Hynix and executives from the regional semiconductor chemical materials company Dongwoo Fine-Chem will participate in instruction, directly integrating industry demand and the latest technological trends into the curriculum.

JBNU's policy is to support students' growth into industry-friendly professionals who can quickly adapt to the workplace after graduation by providing customized, industry-linked education beyond theory-centered classes. In addition, by aligning with the regional industrial structure, which is strong in semiconductor materials, chemicals, and sensors, the university plans to help students understand local companies and the industrial ecosystem and connect this understanding to career and employment opportunities.

Lim Yeon-ho, Head of the Semiconductor Joint Research Center Establishment Task Force, said, "By expanding industry-linked courses in the second semester following the first, we have broadened the base of semiconductor education from focusing on majors to the entire student body. We will continue to expand educational opportunities so that more students, beyond the boundaries of majors and academic fields, can understand and engage with the possibilities of the semiconductor industry."

He added, "Going forward, while training practical professionals who can be deployed immediately in R&D and the industrial field, we will establish a JBNU-style semiconductor platform that combines the strengths of the regional industry with the university's research and educational capabilities, positioning it as a hub for cultivating outstanding semiconductor talent."

Meanwhile, after being selected in last year's call for the Semiconductor Joint Research Center, JBNU launched the "Semiconductor Joint Research Center Establishment Task Force" and has built a collaborative network with local governments including Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province and Jeonju City, regional universities and research institutes, and major in-province semiconductor companies such as Dongwoo Fine-Chem, OCI, Hansol Chemical, KCC, 광전자, 오디텍, and P&L Semi.

The Semiconductor Joint Research Center is currently being established on a site near the Semiconductor Physical Properties Research Center (SPRC), covering a total area of 3,800 m². The institute will be an advanced, integrated research infrastructure equipped with a cleanroom of approximately 400 pyeong and laboratory and educational spaces, and it is scheduled for completion in 2027. Beyond serving as a research space, it is expected to become a core hub for demonstration testbeds and professional training.