UMPSA and Infineon Technologies Kulim strengthen strategic partnership in semiconductor talent and innovation

PAYA BESAR, 18 August 2026 - Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) and Infineon Technologies Kulim Sdn. Bhd. are strengthening their strategic partnership through closer industry-academia engagement, with a shared focus on semiconductor talent development, industry-relevant education, student internships, research collaboration and future scholarship opportunities.

The commitment was highlighted during the UMPSA–Infineon Industry Engagement Day held at the ICON Meeting Room, UMPSA Paya Besar Campus on 18 August 2026, which brought together senior representatives from both institutions to explore new opportunities for collaboration and further strengthen the existing relationship between UMPSA and Infineon.

The Infineon Technologies Kulim delegation was led by Senior Director of Production, Mohd Jeffery Abdull Manaf, and Head of GIP GERMS Chip Project, Dr. Christian Kasztelan.

The session was formally opened by Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), UMPSA, Professor Datin Ts. Dr. Mimi Sakinah Abdul Munaim.

The session drew strong institutional support, bringing together Heads of Departments from various faculties, key officers from the Sponsorship Unit, and lead representatives from the centre managing industry and community network.

The engagement reflects the strong and continuing collaboration between UMPSA and Infineon, particularly in creating meaningful pathways that connect academic learning with the needs of the semiconductor industry.

Internship Opportunities with Infineon

The collaboration has already translated into tangible opportunities for UMPSA students through industrial internship placements at Infineon Technologies. 

Currently, UMPSA undergraduate students have secured internships with Infineon Kulim Sdn. Bhd., enabling them to gain first-hand exposure to a multinational semiconductor manufacturing environment and apply their academic knowledge to real industrial challenges. 

Building on this success, initial discussions are also underway to explore potential industrial placement opportunities at Infineon's sites abroad.

These placements form an important component of efforts by UMPSA to provide students with meaningful industry exposure and strengthen their employability, particularly in high-value engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors. 

The engagement with Infineon also provides a potential pathway for deeper collaboration in areas such as graduate recruitment, technical training, industry-based projects and future talent development programmes. 

This initiative leverages Infineon's expertise to meet industry requirements, further strengthening the alignment between UMPSA's academic programmes and the rapidly evolving semiconductor sector.

Exploring Scholarships for Future Semiconductor Talent

Beyond internships and industry exposure, Infineon has expressed interest in exploring the expansion of its talent-development initiatives to include scholarship opportunities for promising UMPSA students. 

The proposed initiative could potentially support both undergraduate students and postgraduate students pursuing research-based Master's and PhD programmes, particularly in areas relevant to semiconductor technology, engineering, advanced manufacturing and related fields. 

Such scholarships would provide a stronger talent pipeline between UMPSA and Infineon, supporting high-potential students throughout their academic journey while creating opportunities for them to engage with industry-driven research and technological challenges. 

The potential expansion from internships to scholarships and postgraduate research collaboration represents an important step towards developing a comprehensive UMPSA–Infineon talent pipeline, extending from undergraduate education and industrial training to postgraduate research and future employment.

Expanding Collaboration through Dual-Degree and Postgraduate Programmes

During the engagement, UMPSA also shared its strategy to expand its established international dual-degree ecosystem into Dual Master's and Dual PhD programmes.

UMPSA currently has established undergraduate dual-degree collaborations with leading international institutions, including Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and Technische Hochschule Mannheim (THM). 

Building on this experience, the university is exploring postgraduate dual-degree pathways featuring structured co-supervision, joint research and industry-relevant projects. 

These initiatives could provide further opportunities for collaboration with Infineon, particularly in developing postgraduate research projects that address technological challenges and innovation needs within the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.

HKA Recognises the Strength of UMPSA–Infineon Collaboration

The strong UMPSA and Infineon partnership was also highlighted during the recent UMPSA–HKA Board of Examination Meeting for Semester 2, 2025/2026, held on 28 August 2026.

The meeting centered on the UMPSA–HKA dual degree programmes offered in the fields of Automotive, Mechatronics, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering, with discussions also noting that an additional specialty focusing on aerospace is currently underway.  

Representing Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) at the meeting were Professor Reza Ahmadi and Professor Philipp Nenninger, who were briefed on the recent engagement between UMPSA and Infineon Technologies Kulim.

The HKA representatives expressed their appreciation for the strong industry engagement established by UMPSA and were impressed by the breadth of collaboration between UMPSA and Infineon. 

They also congratulated UMPSA on establishing such a strong and meaningful partnership with a leading global semiconductor company. 

The recognition from HKA, one of the university’s long-standing international dual-degree partners, further underscores the success in building strong connections between international academic collaboration and strategic industry partnerships.

Proven Impact of UMPSA Dual-Degree Talent

The engagement also highlighted the strong outcomes achieved through the international dual-degree programmes offered at UMPSA. 

Data presented revealed that 52 per cent of UMPSA dual-degree alumni are now thriving in technical and engineering roles, with 25.5 per cent earning more than RM7,000 a month within a decade of entering the workforce, while 9.8 per cent have secured positions with German-based multinational corporations.

These outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of international exposure, industry engagement and dual-degree education in developing graduates with strong technical capabilities and global employability. 

Testimonials from UMPSA-HKA dual-degree alumni further illustrated the impact of scholarship support in enabling students to pursue international education and subsequently build successful careers in engineering and technical fields.

Hanis Tarizan, a 2019 graduate of the Bachelor of Automotive Engineering with Honours under the UMPSA-HKA Dual Degree programme, who now serves as a Maintenance Engineer at TenPower Malaysia, expressed her deepest appreciation to MARA for its continuous support and assistance, which played a pivotal role in shaping her academic journey and career success.

“Without this support, I would not have been able to complete my studies in the UMPSA-HKA dual degree program. 

“I sincerely hope that MARA will continue to help more students in need so that they too can achieve success,” she said. 

Nur Fatin Farisha Abdullah, a 2021 graduate of the Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering with Honours under the UMPSA-HKA Dual Degree programme, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) for the support and sponsorship that enabled her to pursue and complete the programme successfully.

Now serving as a Project Engineer at Paras Saksama Sdn. Bhd., she said MARA’s assistance had played a significant role in helping her reach her current position. 

“I hope MARA will continue to support other students who are working hard to achieve their dreams," she said. 

Building a Sustainable Industry-Academia Talent Ecosystem

The UMPSA–Infineon engagement concluded with both parties identifying further areas for collaboration and agreeing to pursue the necessary next steps and institutional frameworks to strengthen their partnership. 

The collaboration reflects the commitment of UMPSA to work closely with leading industry partners to develop future-ready talent, strengthen semiconductor education and research, and create clear pathways from university to industry. 

For Infineon Kulim Sdn. Bhd., the partnership provides opportunities to engage with UMPSA engineering talent pool from an early stage through internships, industry projects and scholarships, while potentially extending into postgraduate research, technical training and graduate recruitment. 

Through these initiatives, UMPSA and Infineon Kulim Sdn. Bhd. aim to build a stronger and more sustainable industry-academia ecosystem that supports our country's ambitions to develop highly skilled talent and strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry.

By: Associate Professor Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi and Nor Ilma Mustafa Kamal, Centre for Academic Collaboration & Mobility, UMPSA