Title:
A Latin American Institution’s Journey in Digital Systems Education: From Breadboards to FPGA and RISC-V Design [Download]Authors:
Sergio Abreo, Juan D. Espinoza, Carlos A. Fajardo
Index Terms:
Abstract:
This paper presents the evolution of digital systems education at the Universidad Industrial de Santander, beginning with hands-on projects using discrete logic chips on breadboards. The curriculum progressively adopted hardware description languages (VHDL and Verilog) and eventually integrated RISC-V open hardware through the RVfpga project. This transformation has positioned the university as a regional reference in Latin America and contributed to the professional success of its graduates in the global semiconductor industry. The paper describes key milestones, methodological decisions, and pedagogical strategies that enabled this shift, analyzes its impact on student engagement and learning outcomes, and offers recommendations for institutions seeking to modernize their digital systems curricula. The experience illustrates how sustained curricular innovation and project-based learning can foster academic excellence and real-world impact in electronics and computer engineering.
DOI:
How to cite:
Sergio Abreo, Juan D. Espinoza, Carlos A. Fajardo, "A Latin American Institution’s Journey in Digital Systems Education: From Breadboards to FPGA and RISC-V Design", IEEE-RITA, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 286-295, Jan. 2026. doi: 10.1109/RITA.2026.3684367