By Michael Visaya

The Mariano Marcos State University and the University of the Philippines Diliman- Center for Integrated Circuits and Devices Research (UP CIDR) Program have formalized a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the development of collaborative activities in Integrated Circuit (IC) Design on August 8, at the Center for Flexible Learning (CFL).

Signed by MMSU President Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano, Jr. and UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, represented by Anastacia Alvarez of the UP Diliman CIDR, the MoU aims to conduct graduate and undergraduate lectures, collaborative research, and academic resource exchange. 

Under the MoU, MMSU will house a mirror laboratory of the CIDR program. A faculty member from the BS Computer Engineering program of the College of Engineering will join one or more of CIDR’s four research projects, verify and implement the design for test chips or printed circuit boards, and contribute to CIDR publications.

Prior to the signing of the MoU, the center conducted a regional training workshop on CIDR RISC-V for third-year BS Computer Engineering students of MMSU and other universities in the region offering the same program, including Northwestern University-Laoag, Don Mariano Marcos State University (DMMSU), and Pangasinan State University (PSU). 

The training workshop focused on an introduction to CIDR and RISC-V Design, a demonstration of the RISC-V toolchain, and a hands-on session on IC design simulation.

Dr. Manzano recognized the partnership as an important leap as it provides a pathway toward achieving the university’s aspirations of improving its engineering programs. “The future will soon depend on innovative technology in microelectronics and computer engineering. We should all be ready to face this future,” he added. 

In a video message, Chancellor Vistan highlighted the shared vision of both universities toward academic excellence, research and innovation, and public service. He assured a strengthened collaboration in partnering for engineering innovations. 

Present during the ceremonial signing were Dean Sharona Barroga of the College of Engineering, BS Computer Engineering Program Chair Vladimir Ibanez, and faculty members of UP CIDR and MMSU. 

The CIDR Program is a DOST-funded infrastructure that aims to enable the sharing of resources among the academe, industry, and government to support graduate-level manpower development and the exploration and adoption of technologies, ultimately contributing to increased economic competitiveness and a sustainable local IC design ecosystem in the Philippines.