Arizona is emerging as one of the nation’s most important centers for semiconductor manufacturing, creating an urgent need for the talent, research and global partnerships that can turn unprecedented investment into lasting technological leadership. 

The University of Arizona’s growing partnership with Taiwan’s National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, or NYCU, took another step forward during a two-day summit in Tucson Aug. 12-13, where leaders from both universities and regional partners advanced plans for a joint Talent and Innovation Hub, focused on semiconductor education, research and workforce development.

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, U of A senior vice president for research and partnerships, said the collaboration comes at a pivotal moment for Arizona and the nation.

“Arizona is becoming a center of gravity for the transformation of the semiconductor industry, and partnerships like this one will help determine whether we can turn this extraordinary moment of investment into lasting leadership,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “That means developing a new generation of talent that is not only technically exceptional, but prepared to work across cultures, disciplines and borders. With NYCU, we have a seminal partner in building the talent and research capacity America needs to lead in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and the emerging technologies that will shape our economy, our security and our world.”

The visit built on a partnership that has grown significantly over the past year. In September 2025, U of A representatives joined the ACA delegation in Taiwan to formally present the Talent and Innovation Hub plans to NYCU leadership. In January, U of A President Suresh Garimella and NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin formally signed an agreement in Taiwan establishing the hub. 

“The progress made during our meetings in Tucson reflects our joint commitment to connecting education, research and industry through concrete, executable platforms,” Lin said. “By bridging our capabilities across the Pacific, we are establishing a framework that enables knowledge and innovation to move seamlessly between Taiwan and the United States, while equipping students from both of our universities to serve as leaders in the next era of microelectronics.”

Building the hub

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After meeting with Garimella, Lin and Díaz de la Rubia began the talks with a signing ceremony for an addendum to the Talent and Innovation Hub agreement that solidified a management plan. 

At further meetings held at the U of A’s main campus, representatives from the two universities, Pima County, the city of Tucson, Northern Arizona University and Maricopa Community Colleges discussed development of a broad talent pipeline spanning elementary and high school, community college, undergraduate and graduate education and advanced research training. 

The goal is to offer education and training that prepares students to work across the global semiconductor industry at all levels. One emphasis area is industry-aligned reskilling, professional training modules intended to retrain existing workers in Arizona to fill workforce gaps in microchip manufacturing and tech supply chains. The hub will also give students opportunities to build the technical and cross-cultural skills needed to work with teams in Taiwan, Arizona and elsewhere.

“We’re seeing real commitment across the education and workforce landscape to be part of building a global semiconductor talent pipeline,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “Together, we’re creating opportunities for students at every stage of their education to prepare for careers in an industry that will continue to grow exponentially in the coming decades.”

Talent and Innovation Hub courses are expected to begin in January 2027. Although semiconductor education and research are at the center of the NYCU partnership, the two universities also are exploring opportunities in other areas where their expertise overlaps. Leaders discussed additional potential collaboration in space technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing and health. The universities identified opportunities for NYCU and U of A researchers to collaborate through programs such as the Arizona Space Institute.

The expansion reflects the broader vision for the NYCU collaboration: To advance a phased, expandable academic and research relationship that can grow alongside the semiconductor partnership and open new avenues for long-term collaboration. 

Connecting to industry for economic progress

The university meetings were complemented by sessions at the Pima County Historic Courthouse, where U of A leaders joined Tucson and Pima County officials for a broader discussion of how the hub can contribute to the region’s economic growth and help meet the needs of companies expanding in Arizona, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., or TSMC. TSMC recently announced an additional $100 billion investment in Arizona, bringing its total planned investment to $265 billion.

The Talent and Innovation Hub connects the U of A’s research and educational strengths with NYCU’s deep ties to Taiwan’s technology sector. NYCU has played a significant role in educating engineers and technology leaders in Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park, a major center for the semiconductor industry.

The two-day summit moved that connection forward by bringing academic, government and regional development partners together around next steps – strengthening a partnership that reaches from classrooms and laboratories in Tucson to Taiwan’s technology centers and, increasingly, to companies helping establish Arizona as the nation’s leading center for semiconductor manufacturing. 

An expanding global network

The NYCU partnership is part of a larger effort to connect Arizona with international technology and manufacturing networks. The U of A is building relationships with collaborators in Taiwan, Panama and elsewhere to expand research, develop talent and strengthen connections to the global semiconductor industry.

“We are at a remarkable moment for semiconductors in Arizona, with universities, industry and partners across the state all coming together to build the capabilities we need for the future,” said Krishna Muralidharan, director of the university’s Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing. “These strong collaborations in Arizona and around the world give us the opportunity to think bigger about what we can accomplish together.”

In March, the U of A, Pima County, the city of Tucson and the Arizona Commerce Authority joined Kaohsiung, a major city in Taiwan, and Taiwan’s National Sun Yat-sen University in signing a six-party memorandum of understanding. The agreement created a framework for collaboration in semiconductor technologies and supply chains, optics and photonics, workforce development, academic exchange and commercialization. The partners are bringing together complementary strengths: Southern Arizona’s research and talent capabilities with Kaohsiung’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and global trade. 

The U of A also expanded its international semiconductor efforts to Panama during a recent delegation that included the Arizona Board of Regents, the U of A, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the Arizona Commerce Authority. University and industry representatives met with Panamanian science and technology officials and engineering leaders to develop partnerships in semiconductor engineering, microelectronics and advanced packaging. The visit included work toward a graduate student pipeline and potential micro-campus collaborations that would allow students to earn degrees through both institutions.

On Aug. 13, the university also hosted a delegation connected to Pax Silica, a U.S.-led initiative focused on strengthening secure supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals and AI. The event, hosted by Global Ties Arizona and the Arizona Commerce Authority at the U of A Scottsdale Center, brought international and Arizona partners together around the broader effort to strengthen technology supply chains.

Taken together, these partnerships extend the U of A’s role beyond educating students and conducting research. They connect the university to a growing international network focused on semiconductor talent, advanced manufacturing, research and resilient technology supply chains, while positioning Arizona as a key center for the industries shaping the global economy.