Execution Plan for Software Engineering Education in Taiwan

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to provide a snapshot of the current status of our two-phase-eight-year nation-wide effort in improving the software engineering education in Taiwan. In the first phase of this program (2004 - 2008), the number of universities that regularly offer software engineering courses grew from 63 to 92 while the number of offered courses grew from 159 to 406. The main objective of the second phase (2010 - 2014) was set to establish and implement the core competences of software engineering in our module programs. Seven capabilities are identified to form the SE core competences, including think computationally, teamwork in software development and maintenance, build abstractions and perform problem domain decompositions, analyze and model complex systems involved various domains, develop, review and verify complex systems involved various domains, create user-friendly interfaces based on user experiences, and manage and evolve large-scale design and development efforts. Multiple actions have also been taken to enhance the core competences of students in ICT-related programs in Taiwan, including developing practical course material, holding training courses for the educators, providing onsite lecturing support, and delivering industrial-oriented practical courses.