Purdue, Dominican Republic enter agreement to drive semiconductor growth

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In its ongoing drive to support near-shoring efforts of America's semiconductor industry, Purdue University signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of the Dominican Republic to help the country propel its microchip and microelectronics industries.

In addition to supporting the Dominican Republic's commitment to build a robust semiconductor ecosystem, the partnership will bolster joint research and academic exchange opportunities with several leading universities and institutions in the Caribbean island nation.

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"As the leading institution in the U.S. in chip education, research, industry partnerships and global collaboration, Purdue University is committed to make our curriculum accessible to help partner nations with their own economic prosperity and workforce development efforts, especially in the critical semiconductor ecosystem," said Juan Diego Velasquez de Bedout, Purdue's assistant director of global partnerships and director of Latin American programs.

Purdue will lead the development and implementation of programs aimed at accelerating the growth of the semiconductor industry and other high-value-added sectors in the Dominican Republic. Critical elements of the agreement include a diagnostic assessment of workforce development in the country and help to develop a road map to build up capacity of design, manufacturing, assembly and testing.

"We are pleased going forward to collaborate with the government of the Dominican Republic to help bootstrap semiconductor workforce capacity and boost innovation," said Vijay Raghunathan, Purdue's vice president for global partnerships and programs, director of semiconductor education, and professor in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "We look forward to this MOU being the start of a long and impactful joint partnership."

As the U.S. works to build a more resilient supply chain amid geopolitical tensions, it looks to neighboring nations for potential near-shoring opportunities for semiconductor manufacturing and packaging. The international partnership with the Dominican Republic helps support that nation's aspirations to grow its economy through semiconductor education and enterprise.

"This reciprocal collaboration represents a significant opportunity for academic exchange and joint research efforts, benefiting students, faculty and researchers," said Alyssa Wilcox, Purdue's senior vice president of partnerships. "It further illustrates Purdue's global leadership in semiconductor education by leveraging our prowess in high-value-added, emerging technology sectors."

In welcoming the Purdue partnership, Víctor Bisonó, the Dominican Republic's minister of commerce, industry, and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), acknowledged the need for an educated and upskilled workforce.

"We are committed to positioning the Dominican Republic as a center of excellence in semiconductor technology," Bisonó said. "We believe that the research opportunities and extensive curriculum offered by Purdue are invaluable tools for strengthening the competencies of our human capital. In an increasingly digitalized world, mastering semiconductor manufacturing processes is crucial to driving our country's innovation and competitiveness in this critically important area."

The Dominican Republic partnership comes as Purdue looks to highlight and expand its international influence and leadership in the burgeoning digital and technology economy.

"There is a universal realization that semiconductor chip technology is now fundamental to humanity, and it is going to take a global alliance of like-minded nations for us to make sure that supply chains, including human capital, are stable and resilient," Raghunathan said. "This newest partnership further illustrates Purdue's resolve to convene partnerships on a global scale."

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue's main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap - including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative - at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.

Writer/Media contact: Wes Mills, [email protected]

Sources: Vijay Raghunathan

Juan Diego Velasquez de Bedout

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