TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) welcomed electrical engineering master’s students from leading British universities to Taiwan for a two-week exchange visit on Friday.

Wu said he was pleased to see the arrival of the first group of British electrical engineering graduate students in Taiwan under the Semiconductor Joint Skills Project, according to the foreign ministry. He noted that exchanges and dialogue between the visiting students and Taiwan’s top universities, semiconductor industry, and technology communities would help strengthen diverse cooperation between the two sides in the semiconductor and high-tech sectors.

Taiwan and the UK are like-minded partners with close and friendly relations, he said, adding that the program further advances the shared vision of cultivating talent in both sides’ key industries. He said Taiwan also looked forward to sending students to the UK in the near future.

Ruth Bradley-Jones, the UK representative to Taiwan, said talent exchanges between the two countries in the semiconductor field demonstrate that bilateral ties are strong. Bradley-Jones encouraged the visiting British students to make full use of the exchange opportunity to build connections in Taiwan and help deepen bilateral cooperation in semiconductor-related fields.

Terry Tsao (曹世綸), president of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International Taiwan, said the joint skills project combines the UK’s strengths in research and design with Taiwan’s capabilities in manufacturing and advanced packaging, creating an important platform for students from both countries to connect with the global semiconductor industry.

Derek Boyd, co-founder of the UK Electronics Skills Foundation, also expressed appreciation for the project, saying it offers British students valuable learning opportunities by visiting Taiwan and lays a strong foundation for future bilateral industry cooperation.