TSMC to donate NT$4 billion to schools for research, training

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC) board of directors on Wednesday passed a resolution to donate up to NT$4 billion (US$123.56 million) to four universities and selected senior high schools in Taiwan for semiconductor research promotion and talent cultivation, according to a company statement.

The TSMC board approved a total donation of no more than NT$4 billion to National Taiwan University (NTU), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and selected senior high schools in Taiwan to enhance long-term semiconductor research, education and talent cultivation, according to the TSMC statement issued Wednesday.

The resolution marked a significant expansion of TSMC's collaboration with educational institutions in executing industry-academia projects.

With a severe shortage of talent in the semiconductor industry, the world's largest contract chipmaker initiated a semiconductor training program at NTHU in 2019 and had introduced training sessions in 13 schools as of 2023, including NTU, NCKU, NYCU and National Taipei University of Technology, with more than 7,600 students signing up.

These cooperative projects were designed to encourage university professors to engage in research relating to high-end semiconductor technologies and offer students the opportunity to learn from hands-on experience.

To meet long-term capacity plans and a technology development roadmap, the board also approved capital appropriations of approximately US$17.36 billion for the installation and upgrade of advanced technology capacity or specialty technology capacity and fab construction, as well as the installation of fab facility systems, according to the statement.

The board meeting also passed a resolution for a capital injection of no more than US$5 billion to TSMC Global Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of TSMC, to reduce foreign exchange hedging costs.

In order to offset the dilution from the increase in outstanding shares due to the issuance of employee restricted stock awards (RSAs), the board also approved a plan to buy back 3,249,000 TSMC common shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, according to the company statement.