Hokkaido University and Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced on February 17 that Keysight has donated its basic measuring instrument, the Keysight Smart Bench Essentials Series, to support the development of the next generation of semiconductor engineers at Hokkaido University. This donation will contribute to research and development of cutting-edge semiconductor technology and strengthen the industrial base in the Hokkaido region.

In Hokkaido, demand for human resources is rapidly expanding as the advanced semiconductor industry gets fully underway, and the number of people seeking employment at related companies in fiscal 2030 is expected to increase by approximately three times compared to fiscal 2023.

Against this backdrop, Hokkaido University will establish the Semiconductor Frontier Education and Research Institute (IFERS) in 2025 as the headquarters for education and research, promoting semiconductor human resource development and research and development university-wide. In particular, the university is focusing on practical education by inviting professors with business experience, and in 2025 it began offering special lectures by Keysight.

Additionally, the company is currently developing a "semiconductor prototyping lab" where trainees can practice a series of key processes, from device and process design to manufacturing and evaluation, using simulators. The measuring instruments donated by Keysight are scheduled to be installed in the lab.

The Keysight Smart Bench Essentials donated by Keysight is a series of compact measuring instruments suitable for student experiments and basic measurement education, and also supports remote access. Keysight will deliver 14 sets (56 units in total) consisting of four models: oscilloscope, digital multimeter, DC power supply, and function generator. These measuring instruments will be installed in the semiconductor prototyping lab and will also be used by students in their daily experiments and exercises.

For more information, please click here. *You will be redirected to the Hokkaido University Semiconductor Frontier Education and Research Organization/IFERS website.