Cyberjaya, 23 March 2022 – SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd (“SilTerra”) has formed collaboration with top universities in the country namely Universiti Sains Malaysia (“USM”), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (“UTeM”) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (“UniMAP”), to deepen the company’s academic engagement in a range of areas in microelectronics technologies.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) between SilTerra, USM and UTeM as well as Letter of Intent (“LoI”) with UniMAP, the parties will endeavour to develop and promote education and training programmes for talent development and joint research and development (“R&D”) tailored to the needs of the semiconductor industry eco-system in Malaysia.

The agreements were signed in Penang earlier today where SilTerra was represented by its Executive Chairman Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir; USM was represented by Vice Chancellor Professor Dato’ Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan; UTeM was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Ir Dr Ghazali Omar; and UniMAP was represented by Vice Chancellor Lt. Kol. Professor Ts Dr Zaliman Sauli.

The areas of collaboration include talent development through sponsored internship programme, skill-based training, seminars, workshops and development of joint-curriculum.

In addition, the parties will also identify relevant semiconductor materials, manufacturing processes, measurement and testing, as well as research projects relevant to SilTerra’s manufacturing environment to further advance technological innovations.

Moreover, the collaboration also includes pursuing and executing consultation and corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) projects as well as provide students industrial training or staff industrial attachment.

According to Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, who is also Group Managing Director of Dagang NeXchange Berhad (“DNeX”), “SilTerra’s partnership with USM, UTeM and UniMAP is aimed at nurturing local talents via our in-house expertise from SilTerra. This reflects our continued commitment to position Malaysia as one of the biggest suppliers of semiconductor components in the world, thus creating a pool of local talents for the industry’s demand.”

“The partnership will also pledge industrial development comprising research and design capabilities with our partners to inculcate local students with the right training foundation, equipping local talents with the cutting-edge technological advancement familiarisation and practical knowledge,” he said.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Dr Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan said, “On behalf of USM we are very grateful to have SilTerra for almost two decades of collaboration and today, the collaboration is further strengthened with research and talent development.”

He added that USM has always been enthusiastic about forging partnerships with SilTerra, not only in activities relating to coaching and talent development, research and consultancy projects, and co-supervision but also in inventions and innovations, assisted by the mission of the innovations in artificial intelligence (“AI”), advanced materials and technologies.

Professor Ir Dr Ghazali Omar, Deputy Vice Chancellor of UTeM said, “University-Industry synergy has been and will continue to be imperative in the highly digitised decades to come. For a technical and technology focused university like UTeM, fortifying strategic and dynamic relations with industries such as SilTerra is paramount in ensuring the university’s continued relevance and vigour.”

Professor Ts Dr Zaliman, Vice Chancellor of UniMAP said, “Every year, our graduate employability is more than 90 per cent which also includes job placement in various industries. A strategic partnership with SilTerra especially in talent development and recruitment will boost our graduate employability to a whole new level.”

SilTerra is a strategic investment of DNeX and Beijing Integrated Circuit Advanced Manufacturing and High-End Equipment Equity Investment Fund Center (Limited Partnership) (“CGP Fund”),.