Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum VZW (IMEC) was founded in 1984. IMEC is an international research & development and innovation hub, active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies. IMEC’s research into advanced logic scaling is performed in cooperation with key partners in its core programs including GlobalFoundries, Intel, Micron, SK Hynix, Samsung, TSMC, Huawei, Qualcomm, and Sony.

The IMEC headquarters are located in Leuven (Belgium). It has numerous facilities dedicated to research and development around the world, including in the Netherlands, Taiwan, China, and India. IMEC also has offices in the United States and Japan. As a host research institute for Ph.D. research, IMEC has also signed dual degree Ph.D. agreements with Flemish and international universities, such as KU Leuven, UGent, and VUBrussel.

In the dual doctoral degree program, students will spend a minimum of two years of research at NTU and a minimum of three years of research at KU Leuven / IMEC. Upon fulfilling the graduation requirements of KU Leuven, IMEC and NTU, students will receive a Ph.D. degree from both NTU and KU Leuven. Through this program, students benefit from academic, language, and cultural exchanges as well as from receiving a highly competitive local and international degree.