Eleven universities discuss next-gen semiconductor talent development at 5th UPWARDS U.S.-Japan Meeting

Science Tokyo hosted the 5th UPWARDS U.S.-Japan Meeting on November 13 and 14, welcoming over 70 guests from 11 Japanese and US universities as well as the two industry leaders that started UPWARDS: Micron and Tokyo Electron (TEL).

The “U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future,” launched by an agreement signed at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May 2023, is a consortium of five Japanese universities – including Science Tokyo – and six US universities.

The event kicked off on November 13 with a meeting at Hotel New Otani Tokyo, where participants shared updates on the progress of initiatives within UPWARDS, followed by a reception dinner. In his opening remarks at the reception, President and CAO Yujiro Tanaka highlighted the steady advancements UPWARDS has made in workforce development and emphasized the essential role of close collaboration among academia, government, and industry in the growing semiconductor field. The atmosphere was warm and friendly as nearly 90 assembled guests enjoyed an evening of conversation and networking.

On the morning of November 14, the meeting continued at Midorigaoka Hall on Ookayama Campus. Participants were first divided into groups to discuss potential future initiatives, and were then invited to share their ideas with the entire assembly. The meeting also cast a spotlight on UPWARDS’s success stories, such as celebrating the numbers of UPWARDS students who have chosen to join semiconductor research labs, demonstrating its impact on students’ career choices. Plans to expand existing programs and develop new initiatives were also explained, and anticipated challenges were discussed.

The inaugural “UPWARDS Student Program Reunion and Reflection Event” in the afternoon reunited participants of past summer and exchange programs. Fifty students from five Japanese universities took part in workshops to reflect on the programs they had attended, deliver presentations on what they had learned, and engage in direct dialogue and build closer connections with the university faculty members and corporate representatives who organize these programs.

Through the UPWARDS for the Future program, Science Tokyo will continue its efforts to develop the next generation of semiconductor talent, encourage research and development in the field, and, alongside deeper interdisciplinary collaboration, help revitalize the industry and contribute to the creation of a robust U.S.-Japan semiconductor talent ecosystem.

Visit the UPWARDS website to learn more about the program.