Arizona State University continues to expand its efforts to support development of the semiconductor workforce and supply chain on a global scale.
On April 30, Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen held a ceremony in which he announced an executive decree formalizing the country’s intention to boost its microelectronics industry through an academic collaboration with ASU.
The ceremony included the announcement of an academic collaboration between ASU and the country of Panama that will begin with a scholarship program administered by the university and the Panamanian Human Resource Development Agency IFARHU and SENACYT, the Panamanian equivalent of a combination of the U.S. National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Through the agreement, Panamanian students will be eligible to apply to ASU’s semiconductor industry-relevant bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs, graduate and professional certificates.
Students will also hone their language skills through programs in English, including specialized instruction for the semiconductor industry. In addition, faculty members from Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, or UTP, and the Instituto Técnico Superior Especializado, or ITSE, will be prime candidates for programs taught at ASU, in Panama and remotely that improve their instructional skills.
The agreement marks the culmination of two years of relationship-building with Panamanian institutions led by Dario Solis, business development director of innovation technology partnerships for the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU, in conjunction with the Fulton Schools’ Global Outreach and Extended Education team.