Design technology research and education for deep-submicron systems of the next century

Deep-submicron technology combined with the tremendous growth of global networking leads to SoC and requires a rethinking of communication architectures and disciplinary design methodologies. This creates the need for SoC engineers to be able to bridge the gap between system level concepts and their implementation in heterogeneous silicon architectures. The concept of a design center is introduced where academic staff and students team-up around visionary information technology design projects. Building actual software-hardware prototype demonstrators is undertaken as a means to create new methodologies that give rise to new CAE tools, libraries, teaching material and training courses available over the network. A design center is the ideal environment for educating the SoC engineer. In such schools emphasis is on broad education in the basics of computing, communications and components. Design practice (including non-technical skills) are learned by team-based integrated projects in product design