Collaboration between Industry and Academia is empowering. The leading global PCB (Printed Circuit Board) manufacturer, Zhen Ding Technology Group, has recently partnered with Lunghwa University of Science and Technology to offer 20 annual scholarships to sophomore, junior, and senior students. Each scholarship amounts to US$267 per academic year, totaling over US$5,300, allowing students to focus on their studies. Upon graduation, they can seamlessly transition into positions at the company. This initiative aims to deepen industry-academia collaboration, accelerate talent development, and fulfill the company’s sustainability goals, creating a win-win-win situation for the industry, the university, and the students.

Lunghwa University President Tzu-Hsiang Ko stated that this year, the Department of Economic Development, Taoyuan City, launched the “Taoyuan Link for Industry-Academia Empowerment Platform," successfully facilitating the collaboration between Lunghwa University and Zhen Ding Technology. Zhen Ding Technology will offer 20 scholarships to sophomore, junior, and senior students, each worth US$267  per academic year. Scholarship recipients must come from low- to middle-income households, be enrolled in four-year programs related to the industry, and rank in the top 50% of their class. Interviews will be conducted after the school year starts in September, and those who pass will receive the scholarship once per semester and can work at Zhen Ding Technology for six months after graduation.

President Ko pointed out that Zhen Ding Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn Group, is the world’s largest PCB manufacturer, primarily engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and sale of various printed circuit boards, holding a leading position in the global industry. Thanks to the matchmaking by the Department of Economic Development, Taoyuan, the company has transformed recruitment costs into full scholarships. The university assists eligible students with interviews and contract signing, with the contracts notarized by the court. After receiving the scholarship, students can focus on their studies and seamlessly transition to Zhen Ding Technology after graduation, enhancing their competitiveness in the job market while also addressing the company’s labor shortage. The university hopes that through close collaboration with Zhen Ding Technology, they can actively cultivate outstanding talents, injecting continuous momentum into the future development of the PCB industry.

Lunghwa University has established long-term strategic partnerships with industry and has recently secured three major projects of the Ministry of Education worth over US$ 3 million each. These projects include the establishment of a 3D Digital Circuit Board Design and Smart Manufacturing Pilot Plant, an Industry Environment Factory for 5G Mobile Communication Module Testing and Calibration, and a Cultivation Base for the Electronic Apparatus Design of High-Speed Transmission Interface and Testing Talents and Technology. Since their official launch, these practical bases have integrated electronic product development, circuit design, layout, product manufacturing, component placement, product testing, electrical testing, and product validation, meeting the industry’s flexible demand for small-batch, diverse production. They offer companies comprehensive services from design, development, and manufacturing to measurement, enhancing research and development capabilities and forging deeper industry links.

President Ko emphasized that in 2012, Lunghwa University pioneered the Order-based Employment Program, designing modular courses to transform students’ final year into the first year of corporate training. Located at the border of New Taipei and Taoyuan, surrounded by over ten industrial parks, the university offers grounded courses and abundant internship opportunities, making its graduates highly sought after by employers. Many students earn salaries higher than the average monthly wage for university graduates announced by the Ministry of Labor during their internships, and after graduation, they are retained by companies with internship experience counted towards their seniority, leading to significantly higher salaries. A six-figure annual income is no longer a dream.