The European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA), a European Union (EU)-funded project coordinated by SEMI Europe, in collaboration with industry partners AENEAS, EPoSS, and INSIDE, announced on February 12 that applications are open for the ECS Summer School. Taking place from 23 – 28 August 2026 at the University Residential Centre, University of Bologna, Bertinoro, Italy, the programme invites applications from undergraduate STEM students across the EU and associated countries.
“Programmes such as the ECS Summer School are vital to motivating and developing the next generation of talent that will sustain Europe’s semiconductor workforce,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe.
As Europe accelerates its transition to a digitally enabled future, demand for skilled professionals in microelectronics and semiconductor technologies continues to grow. The ECS Summer School offers a comprehensive, immersive learning experience designed to equip the next generation of engineers, researchers, and innovators with foundational and advanced insights into chip design, semiconductor fabrication, and embedded intelligent systems.
“The ECS Summer School provides students with a strong entry point to acquire practical skills and form valuable connections with industry and academia,” said Patrick Cogez, Technical Director at AENEAS and ECSA lead partner for the organisation of the Summer School.
The curriculum spans four core domains of microelectronics:
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Semiconductor Technology,
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Integrated Circuit Design,
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Digital Systems and Embedded Intelligence,
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Integration of Electronic Systems.
This year’s summer school will be co-organized by ABGi and IPCEI ME/CT. Lectures, demonstrations, and interactive activities will be delivered by experts from leading universities, research institutes, and industry partners, complemented by career testimonies from engineers working in the field.
Eligibility & Application Details
The Summer School is open to undergraduate students who will have completed at least two years of university study by the time of the event and who will still have at least one year remaining in their degree programme. Participants must be enrolled in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) discipline at a university based in the EU or eligible associated country and possess a good command of English, as all activities will be conducted in English.
Registration details, application requirements, and the full programme overview are available on the official ECS Summer School 2026 page.
