Imec and Osaka University agreed to initiate the “second stage” of collaborative partnership, further solidifying mutual commitments to diverse research collaborations and academic exchange programs

On November 9, 2023, Luc Van den hove, President and CEO of imec, a world-famous leading research center in nanoelectronics and digital technologies headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and Shojiro Nishio, President of Osaka University reinforced a close academic relationship at a top executive meeting.

Imec and Osaka University have collaborated in a multitude of research fields on a departmental and individual level over an extended period of time since SANKEN, the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research of Osaka University entered into Collaboration Framework Agreement with imec in November 2011. Ever since, we have leveraged our advanced research environment to further promote mutual R&D capability through close exchanges of professional expertise, outstanding achievements, and breaking discoveries. One example among many is imec-Handai International Symposia which are annually held alternately in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Japan.

This time, in order to accelerate holistic collaboration between imec and Osaka University, top executives on both organizations met together: President and CEO Luc Van den hove, Executive Vice President Masoud Mirgoli, Vice President Chris Van Hoof, Senior Vice President Lode Lauwers and Technical Advisor Masaaki Niwa from imec side, and President Shojiro Nishio, SANKEN Director Tohru Sekino, Distinguished Professor Tsuyoshi Sekitani, and Specially Appointed Professor Mototsugu Ogura from Osaka University.

Both top executives had frank and lively exchange of views and agreed to move toward the "second stage" to expand our collaboration from the departmental level to the institutional level. They will be embodied in mutual collaborative research in high-profile life science, cutting-edge semiconductor packaging, promising smart agriculture and more.