Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between MHESI and the University of Twente in the Netherlands during an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium, aimed at strengthening scientific and technological collaboration.

Under the agreement, Mahanakorn University of Technology (MUT) will serve as the key coordinating institution to advance cooperation in semiconductor education, workforce development, and research. The partnership will focus on curriculum development, student and researcher exchanges, advanced training programs, and joint research in photonics, electronic devices, energy technologies, biosensors, and lab-on-chip innovations.

The initiative is part of Thailand’s broader strategy to address shortages of highly skilled workers and strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem. Thailand aims to produce around 84,900 skilled professionals and 1,780 researchers by 2030 to support growing demand in the electronics and robotics industries, with the semiconductor sector expected to become a new engine of economic growth for the country.