Sep 18, 2026
Tradition in Transition—The Dresden Microelectronics Academy (DMA) Continually Reinventing Itself as a Summer School
Dresden Microelectronics Academy, Networking dinner with Panel discussion: career paths in microelectronics. Panelists pictured (from left to right): Andreas Thamm (Infineon), Steffen Leuner (esmc), Susanne Appel (X-Fab), Dirk Drescher (Bosch).
The “Dresden Microelectronics Academy (DMA),” the long-standing summer school on semiconductor technology, once again left a thoroughly positive impression on the 50 young participants in 2026 with a jam-packed five-day program. Now in its 24th year, the program provided a wealth of new knowledge, in-depth insights into local chip manufacturers, and fresh perspectives on potential career paths.
The week-long summer school organized by cfaed (Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden) at the TUD Dresden University of Technology brought together students, researchers, and industry experts to facilitate a deep dive into the world of microelectronics, semiconductor technologies, and innovation. The focus is always on showcasing Dresden as Europe’s largest microelectronics hub and the TUD as an attractive place to study and work. The Academy’s close ties with the region’s major stakeholders are a hallmark of the program. This was evident, among other things, during the panel discussion on “Career Paths in Microelectronics,” in which high-profile stakeholders from the participating companies shared their personal stories. It became clear to everyone that the local microelectronics network is characterized by a strong sense of camaraderie, mutual respect, and team spirit.
The participants of the DMA Summer School 2026.
Although the DMA is indeed a long-standing institution among Dresden’s summer schools, it—just like its subject matter—is in a state of constant change and offers participants the latest information and insights every year. The industry partners (Bosch, esmc, Globalfoundries, Infineon, and X-Fab) had comprehensively updated their respective offerings for this year’s session and adapted them to changing needs and tasks.
The DMA is always an international affair—this year, the participants who traveled the farthest were one from Costa Rica and a student from Austin, Texas, USA.
Contact:
Matthias Hahndorf
Science Communications | Wissenschaftskommunikation
TUD Dresden University of Technology
cfaed – Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden
cfaed.tu-dresden.de