What started as a bold vision has become a thriving annual tradition. The Future Chips Academy is our shared answer to one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to educate, connect, and inspire the semiconductor leaders of tomorrow.

Born from a landmark agreement between the governments of the Netherlands and South Korea, the Academy first opened its doors in 2024. That winter, sixty of the brightest Master’s and PhD students from six top Korean universities – KAIST, Hanyang University, SKKU, POSTECH, KNU, and UNIST – travelled to Eindhoven. Together with their peers from TU/e, they spent an intense week immersed in world‑class lectures, hands‑on challenges, and exclusive company visits to global leaders like ASML, imec, ASM, and NXP. The energy was electric, and the feedback was unanimous: this was only the beginning.

The second edition in 2025 deepened the collaboration, refined the program, and welcomed even more enthusiastic participants. Students formed lasting bonds across continents, and industry partners discovered a new, direct pipeline to extraordinary talent.

Now, we are writing the next chapter – and it is more exciting than ever.

The 2026 edition will be the third Future Chips Academy, and it arrives at a moment of true momentum. A renewed strategic Memorandum of Understanding with KAIST and other leading Korean universities is being discussed, with the goal of activating formal dual‑degree programs and long-term collaboration. This is no longer just a summer school; it is becoming a permanent, high‑level platform for long‑term research collaboration and talent exchange between the Netherlands and Korea. In June 2026, Eindhoven will also host the third edition of the dedicated Korean School on Future Chips, further deepening our ties.

This is what the Future Chips Academy stands for: breaking down borders, building bridges between science and industry, and giving the brightest minds the tools to shape the semiconductor revolution. Whether you are a student ready to take the next step or a research partner looking to join this growing ecosystem, you are welcome here.

Join us. The future of chips is being written in Eindhoven and Seoul – together.

Prof. Shihab Al-Daffaie

Scientific and Educational Director, Eindhoven-South Korea Future Chips Academy
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Electrical Engineering Department