Project Pitch

The Ershov Computer Project Lab — an in-depth engineering course for future IT leaders

The Problem

Modern school computer science courses operate at the user level. Students learn to write programs while perceiving the computer as a "black box". When they reach university or high-level olympiads, a gap in understanding how technology actually works becomes apparent.

Our Solution

"Ershov Computer" is an educational platform where high school students don't just write code — they create their own processor from scratch.

Using a browser-based simulator and a special laboratory station (Ershov Board), students follow the evolution of computing — from basic wires to creating a chip capable of running a video game.

How It Works

1. Design. Students describe the internal structure of a microchip using an industry-standard language — the same one engineers use to design processors for modern smartphones and PCs.

2. Computer Bring-Up. The architecture is loaded into an empty FPGA chip on the Ershov Board. The processor begins to exist physically — it blinks LEDs, reads joystick presses, and executes instructions the student invented.

3. Engineering Optimization. Students encounter real performance challenges and solve them by releasing improved hardware versions of their processors (CPU v1.0, CPU v2.0).

What Students Will Learn

Systems Engineering Thinking. Understanding the connection between mathematics, physics, and programming.

Industry Standards. Familiarity with real digital circuit design and microelectronics principles without the overload of professional tools.

Project Independence. By the end of the course, each student gains a unique hands-on experience of creating a complex physical device.

Value for the School

Prestige and Uniqueness. This is a course at the level of strong technical lyceums affiliated with universities. It sets the school apart from standard robotics clubs.

Career Guidance. The course shapes elite T-shaped engineers who understand both hardware and software equally well.

National Legacy. The project bears the name of Academician Andrey Ershov, emphasizing continuity with the Soviet and Russian school of programming and engineering.