KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s ability to compete in semiconductors and AI will depend on how quickly it can build the right talent and strengthen university-industry collaboration. This, said Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Si

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s ability to compete in semiconductors and AI will depend on how quickly it can build the right talent and strengthen university-industry collaboration.

This, said Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) technical director Dr Lee Hing Wah, was necessary to realise Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) and the National AI Action Plan 2030.

“Central to the nation’s policy is the NSS, with talent development as a key deliverable to enable Malaysia to move up the value chain,” said Lee who is also heading Sidec’s Semiconductor and Venture division.

Building on this, he stressed that talent policies must translate into meaningful experiences for students on the ground, particularly through internships that give them realistic, industry‑relevant exposure.

“When students go on internship, they will be asked to do labour-intensive activities, such as data collection, which ultimately doesn’t bring too much value to the students.

We need to encourage more activities on the front end to design their own products and develop their own technology. There’s a need to shift the mindset of companies,” he said at UCSI University’s AI and Semiconductor Forum.

UCSI is already moving in this direction through its collaboration with companies like ViTrox.

In her opening address, UCSI president and vice‑chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said, “Earlier this year, UCSI partnered with ViTrox to deliver our mechatronics engineering degree at ViTrox’s industrial campus.

This gives students early exposure to real production environments and prepares them for the AI and semiconductor era from day one.”

The AI and Semiconductor Forum was held in conjunction with the launch of UCSI’s Master in Engineering (Applied AI), a practical, engineering‑focused programme that trains graduates and working professionals to apply AI in advanced manufacturing and industrial engineering.

The one‑year programme focuses on real‑world applications, preparing students to use AI to solve industrial problems rather than study the technology in isolation.

The event brought together SkyeChip vice‑president (Client Service) Teoh Giap Seng and Fitipower Integrated Technology Inc deputy manager (CAD division) Wang Hao Yu, alongside UCSI’s senior management, academics and students.

UCSI University is ranked in Asia’s top 30 and eighth in Southeast Asia in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026.

The University is classified in the world’s top 1% in the QS World University Rankings for five consecutive years, placing 282nd in the 2027 edition.