The two universities have been partners since 2012, and since 2014 they have been offering a dual degree in the Master’s programme in Electrical and Microsystems Engineering (MEM): students who complete the programme receive a degree from Regensburg and one from Malaysia. The programme is taught in English and combines electrical engineering and microsystems engineering, with a focus on semiconductor technology.
“We combine English-taught degree programmes with targeted language support, intercultural guidance and links to industry,” says Prof. Dr Oliver Steffens, Vice-President for Research and Internationalisation at OTH Regensburg. “Anyone who completes a Master’s degree with us should be able to go on to work for a German or international semiconductor company.”
It is precisely this area that both universities wish to develop further. With the Letter of Intent signed by both parties that afternoon, a second cooperation project has been added to the existing dual degree programme: the DAAD project G-Step.
“Malaysia is one of the key hubs of the global semiconductor industry. That is what makes UTAR of interest to us: anyone who completes their Bachelor’s degree there is already familiar with this industrial environment,” says OTH President Prof. Dr Ralph Schneider. “At the same time, companies in Eastern Bavaria are looking for precisely this kind of skilled workforce. G-Step brings both together – for graduates, this opens up prospects in research and industry; for the region, it provides qualified young talent.”
G-Step: from a Bachelor’s degree to a PhD
The DAAD approved funding in June 2026. “G-Step” (Global Semiconductor Excellence – International Graduate Talent Programme) runs until 2029 and is funded by the “Academic Horizons – Attracting Global Minds” programme. The project is aimed at international Bachelor’s graduates who wish to pursue a Master’s degree and subsequently a PhD in microsystems and semiconductor technology. The partner universities involved are based in Malaysia and Singapore. There is a regional interest behind this too: the semiconductor industry in Eastern Bavaria is seeking qualified young talent, and the project is in line with the objectives of the Hightech Agenda Bavaria.
A summer school is to be held at OTH Regensburg every year in future. Students from Malaysia and Singapore will familiarise themselves with semiconductor technology there and gain an insight into what studying and everyday life in Germany are like. Visits to companies are intended to help them establish initial contacts within the German business community.
“We have maintained a successful partnership with OTH Regensburg for many years. We now want to strengthen the links between academia, research and industry even further,” says UTAR President Ir. Professor Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat. “Our goal is not only to provide students with a high-quality education but also to offer them international research experience and early career opportunities within the semiconductor industry.”
