“We dreamed of a different tomorrow by looking at today's cutting-edge technology.”

All 40 students from Korea University's Department of Semiconductor Engineering toured CES 2023 and several IT companies in Silicon Valley, including SK Hynix America.

▲ Department of Semiconductor Engineering students at SK Hynix America

Forty students who entered the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University in 2021 and 2022, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, visited SK Hynix America at 2:30 pm on January 10 (7:30 am KST on January 11) with dreams of becoming future semiconductor experts.

Ryu Jae-hyeok (Department of Semiconductor Engineering, '22) expressed his excitement, saying, “I was able to gain a more practical understanding of global semiconductor technology and market trends by seeing how the semiconductor theories I learned in the classroom are applied in the real world.”

In addition to the visit to SK Hynix America, they had the opportunity to visit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 held in Las Vegas, and several IT companies in Silicon Valley.
※ All Department of Semiconductor Engineering students (excluding students on leave of absence or military service) had this overseas training opportunity, although some could not avail of it due to health problems.

▲  Department of Semiconductor Engineering students at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, US

On the first day, they toured CES 2023 and had time to familiarise themselves with cutting-edge technologies in the areas of carbon reduction, mobility, the metaverse, human tech, and next-generation semiconductors. They also visited Korea University’s booth, which exhibited items that showcased the high-caliber technologies and innovation of Korea University start-ups.

▲ Blue Labs, a team that participated in Korea University’s booth at CES 2023 at Eureka Park

Yu Hyun-yong, head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering, said, “Korea University will provide opportunities for world-class overseas education so that these students can grow into key players in the semiconductor field. Beginning in 2024, every year all Department of Semiconductor Engineering students will study at UC Davis for one semester as part of the long-term overseas student program. I hope that this will serve as an opportunity for students to strengthen their spirit of challenge and their determination to become world-class experts in the semiconductor field.”

Korea University, in partnership with SK Hynix, established the Department of Semiconductor Engineering to nurture core talent in the semiconductor field, and has been accepting 30 new students every year since 2021. Those who graduate from the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University are guaranteed a job at SK Hynix. In the 2023 school year, 20 students will be selected through an early admission process (10 based on academic excellence, 10 based on the suitability of theirle academic field), and 10 students will be selected through the regular admission process.

Department of Semiconductor Engineering students receive a full tuition waiver, plus living expenses scholarships and various other benefits such as the UC Davis visiting student program, an excellent industry-university curriculum, non-lecture programs (startup-related seminars and educational programs), various incentives (benefits for outstanding students, etc.), and a guarantee of employment at SK Hynix upon graduation. They also receive tuition assistance and student aid for admission to integrated master-doctoral degree programs.

This is not the first time Korea University has collaborated with SK Hynix. Since 2005, the two have collaboratedpartnered in industry-university programs in order to foster new talent. Since the first semester of 2009, they have been collaboratively running master's and doctoral courses in Semiconductor Systems Engineering.