MOHE Orders Two Polytechnics To Review Courses To Support Semiconductor Industry

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has instructed Politeknik Balik Pulau in Penang and Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah (previously known as Politeknik Kulim) in Kedah to review their course offerings to support the growing needs of the high-tech industry, particularly the rapidly expanding semiconductor sector.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said both polytechnics are located near the nation’s semiconductor hub.

“…I’ve instructed the two polytechnics in the northern region to re-evaluate the courses they offer, so they can realign their programmes to meet the growing demand of this rapidly developing sector.

“We don’t want to place the responsibility solely on universities. We also want to see changes in polytechnics and community colleges, especially those located within the relevant ecosystem,” he told reporters after opening the IEEE International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA) 2025 at the Setia Spice Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas, today.

He said the move aligns with the government’s efforts to develop a comprehensive ecosystem that supports Malaysia’s aspirations to become a leader in the semiconductor sector, including chip design and manufacturing, ultimately ensuring the country remains competitive in the global technology landscape.

Zambry also emphasised the importance of building a comprehensive education ecosystem while strengthening collaborative networks between universities and industry through long-term strategic approaches, particularly in the fields of engineering and semiconductors.

He said universities such as Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis play a leading role in these fields.

“We also have five universities under the Malaysia Technical University Network (MTUN) that specialise in high-level technical fields including engineering, semiconductors, IT, and AI,” he added.

Zambry also commended USM for successfully developing its chip through collaborations with various industry partners, adding that the achievement reflects the capability of the country’s higher education institutions in participating not only in the back-end aspects of the semiconductor industry but also in the front-end in chip design and manufacturing.

The IPFA 2025 conference, which runs from Aug 5 to 8, is organised by USM’s Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre (CEDEC) and is being hosted in Malaysia for the second time.

In addition to paper presentations, the conference features three keynote speakers, eight tutorial speakers, six workshops, seven sessions for invited speakers, and six user group sessions, with panel members comprising representatives from universities, as well as local and international industries, focusing on advanced packaging, failure analysis, and integrated circuit design.

-- BERNAMA