Japan-Germany packaging partnership
Kumamoto and Yamagata universities will collaborate with Fraunhofer institutes on semiconductor packaging, system integration and printed electronics.
Kumamoto University and Yamagata University have formed a new partnership with Germany’s Fraunhofer IZM and Fraunhofer EMFT to advance collaboration in semiconductor packaging, system integration and printed electronics.
The four institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Kumamoto City, establishing a framework for joint research and development, researcher and student exchanges, and knowledge sharing. The partnership is supported by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
The agreement brings together the academic expertise of the two Japanese universities with the applied research capabilities of the Fraunhofer institutes. The partners will collaborate on semiconductor research projects aimed at addressing technological challenges while sharing academic knowledge, educational resources and industry data.
The partnership follows a Japan-Germany joint workshop held at Kumamoto University in September, titled Semiconductor Packaging: Toward Integration with Printed Electronics.
The workshop explored opportunities to combine semiconductor packaging technologies with printed electronics, reflecting the broader focus of the new collaboration.
The institutions also intend to strengthen links between research and industry. The German delegation highlighted Kumamoto's regional semiconductor ecosystem, including small and medium-sized companies involved in semiconductor equipment and materials.
These companies could provide opportunities for the collaboration to extend into wider industrial networks.
Alongside joint R&D, the agreement includes international exchange programmes for researchers, students and administrative staff. The initiative is intended to support the development of semiconductor expertise while creating longer-term links between Japan and Germany's semiconductor research communities.
For the advanced packaging sector, the collaboration provides a platform for research into packaging and system integration while bringing together university and applied-research expertise from both countries.
