Photo taken on Sept. 6, 2020 shows a digital light-field chip exhibited during the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, capital of China. (Phhoto: Xinhua)

Shenzhen Technology University is cooperating with China's leading chip manufacturer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Co (SMIC) to establish a school of integrated circuits, according to media reports. 

The College of New Materials and New Energies of Shenzhen Technology University and SMIC signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation on Tuesday, Sznews.com reported. 

The school aims to cultivate application-oriented technical talent in integrated circuit design and manufacturing, stick to the integration of production and education, carry out in-depth cooperation between the school and enterprises, and cooperate with critical enterprises such as SMIC, BYD and Huawei in relevant technology education. 

The school will explore new models of cooperating with enterprises to offer skills-based training, cooperation across the professional curriculum design, project research and development, internships, and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, according to Sznews.com.

The goals are also to promote the deep integration of the demand side of enterprises and the supply side of school education, and strive to solve bottleneck problems in the integrated circuit industry. 

Integrated circuits are the core of all information technology industries, and China has been heavily reliant on the West in some advanced areas. The sector has become a target for the US in its bullying of Chinese companies due to its significance.

Skilled personnel are desperately needed to narrow the gap, which stands at about 200,000 chip-related experts a year, open data showed.

In April, Tsinghua University, one of China's top universities, established the School of Integrated Circuits, which is the country's first school to target research and training of technicians in semiconductors.

Global Times