PETALING JAYA, Feb 14 — The donation of two industry-grade semiconductor tools worth RM2 million from NXP Malaysia to Monash University Malaysia’s lab is giving students hands-on experience to become job-ready and aligned with industry needs.
Monash University president and pro-vice chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said the donation exceeds its estimated value.
“It is beyond the cost; Monash University really believes in immersive experiential learning. The donation from NXP Malaysia is beyond RM2 million and includes a lab that students can work on, which will make them job-ready.
“So it is not something foreign when they graduate, and hopefully, they go and work at NXP Malaysia,” she told Media Selangor after the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between NXP Malaysia and Monash University on strategic cooperation for semiconductor education at the university’s campus yesterday.
Under the collaboration, two industry-grade semiconductor tools: an Esec 2008 Diebonder and a KNS Iconn Wirebonder, valued at RM2 million, were donated to the Monash-NXP Semiconductor Lab.
State executive councillor for investment, trade, and investment Ng Sze Han was also present to witness the collaboration.
Dr Adeeba added that the collaboration allows students to gain practical experience with industry tools, moving beyond traditional classroom learning.
“This close collaboration is how we see the future of education. It is no longer sitting in classrooms, sitting behind lecture halls; it is hands-on.
“And because it is a field that is constantly evolving, it is extremely important to work closely with industry so that we are right there with them, rather than the industry having to retrain graduates when they start to work,” she said.
Meanwhile, NXP Malaysia Assembly Operations head SW Wong said the collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of engineers while meeting the needs of Malaysia’s semiconductor industry.
“It is about preparing graduates to be industry-ready, innovative, and capable of driving our nation’s semiconductor ecosystem forward,” he said in his speech during the event.
NXP Malaysia looks forward to seeing the lab inspire curiosity, creativity, and excellence among the next generation of engineers while also meeting the needs of Malaysia’s semiconductor industry.
“By working together with the university, we are not just teaching skills, we are inspiring the next generations of engineers to think, create, and design,” Wong said.
