Bratislava: The first Taiwan Semiconductor Research and Experiment Center, a vital part of the Taiwan-Slovakia Strategic Industry Development Plan, was inaugurated on Friday in Slovakia. Launched in 2023, the plan is a collaboration between Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STUBA), and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS).

According to Focus Taiwan, the project, now in its third phase, seeks to establish two semiconductor research and experiment centers in Slovakia, develop industry talent, and bolster the nation’s semiconductor sector. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Slovak Economy Ministry State Secretary Vladim­r … imon¡k, Taiwan’s representative to Slovakia David Lee, STUBA President Maximili¡n Str©my, and Member of the Presidium of SAS Marek Radvansk½, as per a statement from the Taipei Representative Office in Bratislava.

… imon¡k expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s support, emphasizing that the project would significantly enhance Slovakia’s semiconductor industry and provide a solid foundation for future economic growth. He highlighted that Slovakia, with its strong automotive sector, could secure a position in the Central and Eastern European semiconductor ecosystem through its collaboration with Taiwan.

David Lee noted that while Slovakia represents only 2 percent of the European Union’s population, it could contribute 5-10 percent of the Central and Eastern European semiconductor supply chain, especially in power semiconductor module design, assembly, and testing. He acknowledged Slovakia’s existing comprehensive power semiconductor solution platform, which is crucial for the country’s integration into the regional semiconductor supply chain and for strengthening Taiwan-Slovakia ties.

Jackie Tseng from ITRI’s Electronic and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories, who oversaw the construction of the Semiconductor Research and Experiment Center, remarked on the smooth progress of the collaboration. She affirmed ITRI’s ongoing support for Slovakia’s semiconductor development and talent cultivation. As the industry’s infrastructure develops further, Tseng expressed hope for expanding cooperation between Taiwan and Slovakia into additional fields.