Most common form of computer in use today is by far the embedded controller. This controller, combined with embedded software, is referred to as an embedded system. These systems are built into a product for control, monitoring and communication without human intervention. There are some 30 embedded microprocessors per person in developed countries with an average of 250 million lines of code. In a new premium car 20 to 70 electronic control units can be found. A modern cellular phone has an increased number of features compared to a laptop from a few years ago.
Billions of embedded processors are sold every year and annual market share is around 160 billion Euros with growth rates of around 9% depending on the domain. The ever growing market and revenues can present former USSR countries with a big opportunity to invest educational and research time and effort in the development of embedded hard- and software.
At this moment an upgrade is useful in the target countries, because the lack of equipment and old educational technologies have resulted in courses in embedded systems being removed from the educational curricular. Embedded systems however are used in more critical domains of human life, such as medicine, automotive and aerospace applications. This poses strong demands on quality issues of the embedded hard- and software, so a skilled workforce is necessary to make this a success. More so, education in innovative embedded control systems doesn’t need big investments, because controllers and tools are cheap compared to other machinery. The project consortium is convinced of the wide open possibilities to train a high-educated laborers in the partner countries and that this will gain huge economic benefits in an increasingly interconnected world.
The goal is to adapt current curricula from theoretical and desk-top application based curricula towards a practice oriented and embedded systems based education. Embedded systems design and production demands a very specific, qualitative and valuable knowledge growth in target HEIs, which ensures efficient implementation of high-skilled people in the labor market. The curricula will be developed according competences needed in local and international labor market. Competences are distilled from interviews with local and international enterprises in target countries and EU, academic staff and students. To come to the stated goals and competences, curricula are adapted and new course material is provided, this supported with practical lab equipment, embedded hardware platforms, remote laboratories and design software for CAD/CAM/CAE. All is done in according an agreed work plan with a guarded quality approach.