Bridging the Gap: Cadence and Bristol University Develop Industry-Ready Engineers

Over the last two decades, telecommunications technology has undergone remarkable transformations: it has lowered societal barriers and bridged geographical distances, culminating in establishing an instantaneously connected global society. Information is now effortlessly accessible and, importantly, serves as the foundation for training artificial intelligence systems. Demand for engineering graduates skilled in communication systems is strong, yet the industry struggles to find qualified talent. Therefore, it is essential to bridge the gap between industry and academia and cultivate a pool of engineers ready to meet the demands of tomorrow's technology landscape.

Professor Francesco Fornetti has been working tirelessly over the past 12 years to bridge the industry-academia gap. He is an internationally recognized educator known for pioneering engineering pedagogy contributions and holds a National Teaching Fellowship in the UK. The longstanding collaboration between Cadence and the University of Bristol, under Professor Fornetti's leadership, has recently gained momentum with the release of novel online open courses. These courses on Radio Frequency Engineering and the basics of electric circuits prepare students for the real-world challenges of an increasingly connected world. In a recent conversation with Prof. Fornetti, he shared what inspired him to design these courses. He also detailed how the partnership with Cadence contributes to developing an industry-ready cadre of engineers.

What are the main challenges that led to the design of these courses?

One of the main objectives in designing these courses is to move away from traditional, passive forms of learning and create an environment where students are actively engaged in their education. I aimed to foster independent, self-paced learning, allowing students to take more control of their progress in a pressure-free environment that also caters to neurodiverse individuals. Another major objective was to promote an exploratory, inquiry-based approach to learning that would not be constrained by the rigid boundaries of a set syllabus, thus encouraging students to tap into their creativity and imagination. The courses feature many exercises and challenges well-suited for self-study, making them accessible even for those not currently attending university. This is why I am eager to share them, so that as many people as possible can benefit.

Can you elaborate on your designed courses and how they leverage modern simulation tools and web-based resources?

By integrating Cadence Microwave Office (formerly known as AWR Design Environment) into the courses, I was able to provide students with a Virtual Laboratory that makes it possible to easily create virtual circuits and virtual instruments that closely resemble their lab counterparts. These ubiquitous and powerful virtual experimentation facilities enable students to learn experientially—learn by doing—thus consolidating their understanding of theory and developing their ability to apply it to solve practical problems. These problems often have no unique solution, helping students grasp the element of compromise that is key in any real industrial design. Developing a deep, practical understanding helps them become competent engineers ready to hit the ground running when joining the industry.

Virtual labs also support physical labs by enabling students to understand experiments better beforehand and, during the labs, identify experimental errors and reflect on discrepancies between simulated and experimental data. Students’ feedback indicated that this approach made their lab work more worthwhile, more enjoyable, and less stressful.

To successfully leverage the power of simulation tools, the key is the creation of many video tutorials that are bespoke, highly relevant and bite-sized so that they are digestible and not overwhelming in length or depth. In addition to virtual lab videos, our courses offer a wealth of media-rich materials. The key to maximizing their benefits lies in the organization of the content into learning modules, each dedicated to a specific topic. Every module follows a consistent structure, as illustrated by the short clip.

Could you provide more details on the Radio Frequency Engineering course and its unique features?

Radio Frequency (RF) Engineering is notorious for being a heavily mathematical and theoretical subject. My course takes a much more conceptual approach to teaching it, underpinned by the capabilities of the Microwave Office Virtual Laboratories. These enable a shift in focus toward understanding complex topics more intuitively through problem-based instruction and real-world examples before diving into mathematics.

A standout feature of the course, and a unique upgrade from my previous material, is the inclusion of practical labs developed in collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz (R&S), who also utilize Microwave Office as a standard tool for their RF design. These labs integrate theory, simulation, and practical implementation of RF circuits, allowing students to simulate real-world scenarios while comparing their results with actual practical implementations. Students can then work on improving their simulation models through a theoretical interpretation of any discrepancies.

And what about the Foundations of Electric Circuits course? How does it lay the groundwork for students?

After creating materials at various levels, from intermediate to advanced, with my RF material being the most advanced, I realized that what was missing was my "chapter zero"—a course on the very fundamentals of linear circuits, underpinned by my novel teaching methods, that would establish a comprehensive baseline and ensure students started on the right path by developing a solid foundation in their first year. Indeed, when students encounter problems with more advanced topics, these issues can often be traced back to gaps in their understanding of basic principles.

I designed this course completely from scratch, featuring original lecture notes and examples that do not shy away from addressing many possible pitfalls encountered when learning circuit analysis. Microwave Office was a great help to me when preparing these novel examples and notes, as it made the verification of my calculations and the creation of example circuits very quick and efficient.

But of course, I didn’t just keep the Microwave Office tool to myself. Although it may seem overkill for such basic circuits, the Foundations of Electric Circuits course introduces students to this simulation software early on. By familiarizing students with the Microwave Office virtual lab environment from the beginning of their engineering training, they can adopt a more exploratory, inquiry-based, and independent approach to learning from the outset. The virtual labs provide a safe space for students to take their first tentative steps, allowing them to experiment and explore without fear of making mistakes.

The course also features practical experiments closely aligned with simulations. This combination of theory, simulation, practical experimentation, and reflection makes students aware of the need for an iterative approach to improving designs and instills the electronic design principles used in professional environments into students early on.

Can you explain how your courses uniquely prepare students for the industry?

The main objective of these courses is to enable students to develop "functioning" knowledge that empowers them to tackle real-world problems and understand the roles that theory, simulation, and practical implementations play in the electronic design process. The designed courses help them work as a team to achieve the desired design goals. Further, these courses provide relevant examples, challenges, and instructions on using a powerful simulation tool like Microwave Office as a virtual laboratory, along with guidance for practical experiments supported by simulations that align with the course content and learning objectives. For the RF course, in addition to the online content, we will be offering practical workshops on campus, which can be booked after passing a free online test. These workshops will provide opportunities to gain valuable RF instruments and equipment knowledge, further enhancing students’ practical skills and industry readiness.

This understanding of how theory, simulation, and hands-on practice complement one another equips students to become plug-and-play graduates who can immediately take on the challenges of modern engineering roles.

How has the partnership with Cadence enhanced your courses?

The partnership with Cadence has significantly enhanced my courses. Cadence’s provision of free licenses to students is invaluable for universities, allowing them to access industry-standard software at no cost. Crucially, they allow students to install the software on their own PCs, freeing them from the need to access the software on campus computers and greatly promoting independent learning. Even more beneficial is Cadence’s extension of temporary licenses to young professionals attending the course online, supporting the growing need for upskilling and reskilling in the industry.