VHDL International's University Program

by Mahendra Jain, Executive Director,
VHDL International

VHDL International is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to cooperatively and proactively promote VHDL as a standard worldwide language for the design and description of electronic systems. With VHDL International's commitment to supporting electronic systems designers, semiconductor suppliers, EDA companies and others in the industry, VI sought to assess whether the upcoming generation of electrical engineers have tools and the training they will need to take part in the post-digital electronics industry.

In 1994, VHDL International completed a major education survey. The objective was to assess the level of VHDL knowledge of BSEE graduates and what steps VI can take to increase the VHDL knowledge in engineering schools. This survey was completed by Texas Instruments in the US. Toshiba in cooperation with Electronic Industries Association of Japan completed a similar survey in Japan.

VI found undergraduate BSEE students receive significant training in UNIX/C programming environment, but little training in specific HDLs, such as VHDL or other HDLs. Based on the results of the survey it was determined that only 14% of the US graduating seniors and 2% of the Japanese graduating seniors had a working knowledge of VHDL.

VI made a commitment to increase the level of VHDL knowledge both in the US and Japan. As part of this commitment VI and its member companies have put together a program targeted at the universities in US and Japan. As part of this university program Compass, Ikos, Mentor Graphics, and Viewlogic have donated or agreed to provide VHDL software and training materials to the universities in US and Japan. VI is also cooperating with DARPA to cosponsor VHDL workshops for university instructors so that there are enough qualified VHDL instructors to teach VHDL courses in the universities.

We have already completed the first and second phases of this university program in the US and Japan. In the first phase we sent out the education report, a contact list of VI member companies participating in the university program, a list of VHDL text books and articles, and several issues of VHDL Times which is published by VHDL International. This information packet was sent to about 90 US universities and 56 have responded to take part in the second phase of this program. In Japan 29 universities are participating in this program. In the second phase of this program VI has mailed VHDL learning kits with VHDL simulation software from Compass. Viewlogic has also sent their software out to participating universities in the US and Japan. Mentor Graphics and other VI member companies will be doing the same. Any university interested in VI university program should contact VI at 408-492-9806 or email at viadmin@vhdl.org.