Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU Hanoi) is speeding up the construction of a national semiconductor laboratory worth $70 million, as Intel and Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) have transferred chip assembly and testing equipment to the university and Saigon Hi-Tech Park.

In a statement on Monday, VNU Hanoi said it was the first time in Vietnam that Intel repurposed its equipment from manufacturing operations to education-research activities. The university highlighted the donations can help it improve the packaging capability.

The transfer comes as Vietnam is boosting its semiconductor industry. Under the government’s policies, Vietnam aims to train at least 50,000 university-level semiconductor professionals and establish national semiconductor laboratories.

Besides, Intel said to VNU Hanoi that it would seeks to connect the university to Intel’s international innovation and startup network.

Vietnam currently has around 15,000 semiconductor engineers, including 7,000 design engineers and 7,000-8,000 engineers working in other segments of the industry, in addition to 10,000 technicians. Over the past two years, the number of integrated circuit design companies in Vietnam has increased from 40 to 60, while the number of companies involved in packaging, testing, and manufacturing has risen from seven to 15.

Intel has exported around four billion chips from Vietnam to global markets over the past 20 years, with a total value exceeding $110 billion. So far, Intel has invested about $1.5 billion in Vietnam. Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) in Ho Chi Minh City, the location of Intel factory in Vietnam, has recently reported that Intel is shifting its semiconductor chip production lines from Costa Rica to SHTP.

Intel to expand investment in Vietnam, join hands in workforce training