R&D INSTITUTE SET TO EXPAND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGN CAPABILITIES OF PHL

The Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) is pushing for the establishment of the Industrial Research and Development Institute (IRDI) to boost the competitiveness of the Philippines electronics and semiconductors industry, specifically through integrated circuit (IC) design.

The IRDI is modeled after a similar institute in Taiwan, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), which is credited with creating an environment for industry and government to partner which in turn helped Taiwan become a technology leader.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chair of COMSTE, said that, "this project was conceptualized after studying Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), which was a key factor in Taiwan's economic success. This is a model we want to replicate here."

"We have to change the way we innovate as a nation. IRDI will be a Public-Private Partnership that is industry led. Government and academe can support R&D initiatives in the institute as envisioned by the COMSTE Electronics and Semiconductors panel," added Angara.

COMSTE is currently working with a worldwide industry leader in IC design to establish a training center that would be available to colleges and universities. The training center would have access to the facilities and personnel that are currently employed by the IC design company. Training modules for undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty would also be provided by the company.

Angara said that the guidance of an industry leading company enables the universities to develop circuits that would have an end use in industry, which would enable engineers to develop skills necessary to enter seamlessly into the workforce and eventually set up their own startup companies.

De La Salle, Ateneo, Mapua Institute of Technology and some students from the University of the Philippines have already expressed their desire to take part in the IC design training.