University of Idaho, Hiroshima University Launch Engineering Program to Address Semiconductor Workforce Shortage
The University of Idaho has announced a new international degree program with Hiroshima University in Japan, creating a structured four-year pathway designed to train electrical engineers for careers in the semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries.
Known as the Microchip Engineering and Security Alliance, or MESA, the program will send University of Idaho students to Japan for their first two years of study before they return to the Moscow campus to finish their degrees. The inaugural cohort is set to begin in August 2026.
How the Program Works
Students enrolled in MESA will spend two years studying in English at Hiroshima University, a nationally recognized institution with deep expertise in materials and device engineering. U of I will maintain dedicated classroom and office space on the Hiroshima campus to support those students throughout that phase of their education.
Upon returning to Moscow, students complete the remainder of their electrical engineering degree at U of I’s facilities, which include laboratories focused on fabrication, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence.
A key feature of the program is that participants are enrolled as University of Idaho students from the start. “They’re not transferring later,” said Dean Kahler, vice provost for strategic enrollment management. “They start with us, receive support while studying in Japan and then complete their degree in Moscow.”
The program is open to Idaho residents, domestic students from across the country, and international applicants. University officials noted that the program’s structure and overall cost could be especially appealing to nonresident and international students. Scholarship funding supported by donors will be available to help offset costs for Idaho residents.
University leaders are targeting enrollment growth of up to 100 new students per year in the program.
Responding to a Growing Industry Need
The launch of MESA comes as industry analysts project that more than one million semiconductor-related positions will need to be filled globally by 2030. Demand for electrical engineers with skills in microchip production, artificial intelligence, and energy systems is accelerating in both domestic and international markets.
College of Engineering Dean Suzie Long framed the new degree pathway as a direct response to that workforce challenge. “We don’t have enough electrical engineers to meet the demand for technologies like AI and semiconductor production,” Long said. “This program is one way we can help close that gap.”
Long also highlighted the combination of hands-on technical training available in Moscow with the specialized knowledge Hiroshima brings in component-level engineering. For students aiming to enter the U.S. semiconductor workforce quickly — or to pursue careers internationally — university leaders positioned MESA as an accelerated route to employment.
A Partnership Rooted in Post-War History
The MESA program builds on a relationship between the two universities that stretches back more than seven decades. In 1951, Hiroshima University President Tatsuo Morito reached out to institutions worldwide as the city worked to rebuild following the atomic bombing at the end of World War II. The University of Idaho was among a small number of American universities to respond.
A U of I forestry professor at the time, Merrill Deters, sent tree seeds, a forestry text, and a modest personal donation. That gesture of goodwill laid the groundwork for what has since developed into a sustained academic partnership centered on education and cultural exchange.
In recent years, the two universities have expanded their collaboration to include short-term student exchanges focused on global issues and sustainable development. The first group of U of I students is scheduled to travel to Hiroshima this spring as part of that ongoing exchange.
Sean Quinlan, dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, noted the broader significance of the relationship. “Japan and the United States were once adversaries, and today they’re not just allies — they’re partners and friends,” Quinlan said. “This partnership reflects that shared future.”
What Comes Next
The first MESA cohort will begin its studies in Hiroshima in August 2026. The University of Idaho is actively recruiting students for the program from Idaho and beyond. Additional information about admissions, scholarships, and curriculum is available at uidaho.edu/mesa.
The announcement comes during a busy season for the university. More than 2,400 students are set to participate in University of Idaho commencement ceremonies this spring, reflecting continued enrollment strength in Moscow. U of I has also drawn recent attention in the research community, with a U of I physicist contributing to a discovery involving a newly identified icy ring around Uranus.