2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents an analysis of the semiconductor and chip sector through a capabilities development index for universities. The aim is to provide a tool that contains the necessary index to measure universities' ability to adapt, create, and transfer knowledge and technologies to industrial and economic sectors, based on their research, development, innovation, and entrepreneurship (R&D+i+e) capabilities. The proposed index integrates key indicators from various domains, grounded in scientific theories and approaches presented by Lall, Meyer et al., and Powers, such as: scientific production, human resources, legal agility, entrepreneurship, economic capacity, and technology transfer. Using the semiconductor and chip industry as a case study, the paper outlines the methodology for applying the index and assessing university capabilities in this sector, across five universities in Central America, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation reveals how universities contribute to technological development and economic competitiveness, emphasizing that the index can and should be adjusted to the characteristics of each industrial or economic sector. In this regard, the weighting of indicators may vary, and some indicators can be removed or added according to the defined context. This index provides a strategic tool to guide universities in their continuous improvement, aligning their research and training programs with the industry's needs. The study concludes that universities play a key role in the transformation of engineering education and the promotion of sustainable economic development through strategic innovation.