Purdue, Dominican Republic chart ambitious path for strategic collaboration with campus visit of President Luis Abinader

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University President Mung Chiang welcomed His Excellency President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic and an official delegation to Purdue’s West Lafayette location on Thursday and Friday (March 6-7), reinforcing a dynamic and rapidly expanding collaboration between Purdue and the Dominican Republic, a strategic ally and neighbor to the U.S.

The partnership focuses on joint efforts to advance critical industries, including semiconductors and biotechnology.

During the visit, Chiang and Abinader engaged in strategic bilateral discussions to identify impactful opportunities for joint semiconductor research projects, student and faculty exchanges, and specialized workforce training programs. The leaders also discussed extending Purdue University Online’s nation-leading programs in a variety of disciplines to students and working professionals in the Dominican Republic.

The visiting delegation, which included members of Abinader’s cabinet and key business leaders, toured Purdue’s Birck Nanotechnology Center, renowned as a prominent national facility for research and innovation in semiconductors, nanotechnology and related fields.

The expanded collaboration strategically aligns Purdue’s expertise as America’s leading university in semiconductor workforce development, research and innovation with the Dominican Republic’s vision to build robust, forward-looking industries that can effectively address global challenges, capitalize on near-shoring manufacturing trends, and develop highly skilled talent essential for sustainable economic growth.

“Partnership with the Dominican Republic presents multiple opportunities for Purdue faculty and students: from student exchange programs and online learning growth to collaboration in research and innovation across microelectronics, biotech and agriculture,” Chiang said. “The visit by President Abinader and the delegation of leaders from government and industry has elevated this partnership to a new level.”

In July 2024, Purdue and the Dominican Republic formalized their growing relationship by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (micro-, small and medium enterprises), whose minister Victor (Ito) Bisono joined Abinader on this visit.

The agreement focuses on accelerating the Dominican Republic’s capabilities in semiconductor manufacturing and biotechnology sectors, with Purdue taking a lead role in establishing tailored workforce development programs and industry-focused initiatives.

Under the partnership, Purdue is currently conducting comprehensive assessments of the Dominican Republic’s semiconductor workforce needs, providing crucial input to the development of a strategic road map for enhancing the nation’s capabilities across critical stages of semiconductor design, manufacturing, assembly, packaging, and testing, and supporting the emergence of the biotechnology sector.

Abinader highlighted the transformative potential of the collaboration, stating, “Strengthening our semiconductor industry and fostering innovation in biotechnology are central to our national strategy. By partnering with Purdue, we are investing in our most valuable resource — our people — while creating pathways for economic growth and scientific advancement. This key strategic partnership will help us build the robust human capital needed to attract global investments and forge meaningful international collaborations.”

Currently, 15 students from the Dominican Republic are enrolled at Purdue, predominantly pursuing undergraduate degrees, highlighting existing academic ties and underscoring opportunities for increased bidirectional student mobility. These students met with Abinader and enthusiastically shared their Purdue experiences with the visiting delegation.

The partnership supports Purdue’s strategic initiatives, including Purdue Computes and One Health, which emphasize universitywide excellence in semiconductors, biotechnology and interdisciplinary research to address pressing global challenges.

Purdue’s commitment to international collaboration is widely recognized. Over the past 18 months, the university has significantly expanded its global footprint, establishing new strategic partnerships and agreements with institutions and governments in Belgium, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Greece, the U.K., Panama, Indonesia and other international academic and industry leaders.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.