State university integrates parallel programming in undergraduate courses

Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), in association with Intel Corporation, today announced a multicore curriculum revision for its undergraduate courses. This unique initiative will bring about a revolutionary change in the teaching of microprocessors and their programming in undergraduate engineering courses run by colleges affiliated to VTU. The revision of curriculum aims at integrating parallel programming at the undergraduate level to prepare future software developers to write codes on emerging technologies.

Educating the next generation of software developers is imperative to unlocking the power of multi-core processor technologies. Educational institutions at the undergraduate, graduate, and even high school level need to embrace new techniques and methods to prepare the software developers of tomorrow.

Intel has, over the years, repeatedly received requests from educational institutes to help train faculty on multicore curriculum as it is an emerging technology. Despite various training programs and workshops conducted across the country, implementation of the multicore curriculum at the Undergraduate level has been a major challenge for most of the institutes.

The Intel-VTU Multicore Curriculum Revision Initiative is a tailor-made program developed with inputs from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Intel and senior faculty members from VTU in the area of multicore technology. It also aims at encouraging faculty from the university's colleges to participate in the course and lab development in an open source model. Intel has also made certain Intel Press books on multicore are easily available to the faculty and students in India at very affordable prices.

"This curriculum revision and modernization of our undergraduate courses in computer science to include multicore and their programming will give our students the required edge as they will develop skills which are relevant to today's market place", said Dr H Maheshappa, Vice Chancellor, VTU.

"The Intel-VTU Multicore Curriculum Reform initiative is a significant step by the state university in creating an enhanced learning experience for teachers and students in parallel programming at the undergraduate level," said Narendra Bhandari, Director-Software & Solutions Group, Intel Asia Pacific. "This is a result of the joint collaboration that Intel and VTU have had over the last four years."

He further added, "Intel in India has been involved in education programs, advocacy, and technology access to enable tomorrow's innovators. Intel believes that curriculum change and focus on future technologies is the key to long term success in achieving sustained professional development. This initiative will help Indian students to be better prepared to support the industry hiring needs."