The document discusses a joint program between Carnegie Mellon University and 7 Bulgarian universities called SEMP (Software Engineering Management Program) to challenge IT education in Bulgaria. The program aims to modernize IT education through specialized management courses, increase industry competitiveness, and change teaching styles to be more student-centric. It will offer academic courses, professional courses, and establish qualification paths. An implementation approach is outlined that will offer courses to both regular students and executives through an incremental development process. Initial pilot courses received positive feedback from students. The program aims to help close skills gaps in Bulgaria and comply with various European standards and frameworks.

1. Challenging the IT education in Bulgaria:
joint program with 7 Bulgarian universities
and Carnegie Mellon
Moldova ICT Summit 2012, 16-17 May 2012, Chisinau, Moldova
George Sharkov, PhD
Managing Director
European Software Institute
Center Eastern Europe
gesha@esicenter.bg
SEMP: S OFTWARE E NGINEERING M ANAGEMENT P ROGRAM
In partnership with
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2. Needs to be Addressed
• Lack of systematic content and practice in lecturing
management subjects for graduate high education
courses (bachelors and masters)
• Bridging research & academy to industry
• Need for internationally recognized and contemporary
qualification position (master degree) in ICT
engineering and management
• Innovations management deficit – demand for and
readiness to absorb effective stimulation environment
and research schools in challenging areas of ICT
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3. Major Competence Gaps
Survey for South-Eastern Europe
(8 countries, RCI/USAID)
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
Strategic Operational Project Software PI ICT Services PI Information Vendor specific University
Management Management Management Security
Interested to develop Developed
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4. SEMP: S OFTWARE E NGINEERING M ANAGEMENT P ROGRAM
In partnership with
American University
Faculty of Mathematics in Bulgaria
and Informatics
With the support of:
Министерство на образованието,
младежта и науката
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5. SEMP Objectives
• Increase IT industry competitiveness
• Modernize IT education through specialized IT
management components in 3 areas:
o Engineering/Technology
o Processes & Organization Management
o Business
• Validated by industry profiles
(e.g. team/project/product managers for CMMI ML2 organizations)
• Change style of teaching in BG, adopt the “student
centric approach”
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6. SEMP Core Areas
Academic format Executive (intensive)
format
Enabling Management Business
Technology
(processes)
(engineering)
Deciding What to Organizational Strategy (BSC)
Design (Process) Management
Digitized Ecosystems
(Software) Team/Personal Process Economic Analysis
Requirements Management
Financial Accounting
Architectures
Markets & Sales
Advanced Technology Quantitative PM Negotiation
Secure coding Statistics for IT Communication for IT
Project/Program managers
Cloud computing, Management
virtualization, etc
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7. T-t-T & Qualification Paths
• Academic courses transfers (CMU, SCS/ISR): 4-6 (2
completed, in pilot phase)
• Professional courses (CMU, SEI) – transfer +
academic adaptation: 8 (5 completed, piloting)
• Augmented/improved or developed local courses: 6-8
(piloting, “mentored” by ESI, SEI, CMU)
---
Methodology:
• Student centric approach
• Sync content, terminology (world standard), cross-
links
• Practicum/project work: innovations and
entrepreneurship (real industry project, “start-up”)
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8. Implementation Approach
• Courses/profiles/programs
o regular students + “academic” courses
o executive/intensive courses (or mix)
• Incremental development
o Early pilot courses
o Needs assessment & content refinement (curriculum first
draft)
o Enhanced Existing Master Programs (validated profiles, >4-6
SEMP courses)
o SEMP master profile (inter-university)
• Project-based study
o 2/3 integrated content (academic + professional, 3 focus
areas)
o 1/3 practical project (“start-up” spirit, Learn by doing +
mentorship)
• Monitor Quality & Continuous Improvement
(incl. professors and students exchange, PhD, R&D) – SEI/ISR, CMU + EU partners
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9. Pilot Courses Feedback
Student opinion
(> 300 students, 3 pilot courses)
1 min 2 3max 4 5
opinion before attending 3.4
opinion after course 4.7
useful for current work 4.0
useful for future career 4.6
when choosing work 4.0
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10. Professional qualification profiles (IT jobs, e-CF)
= executive “mini-diploma”
SW Development Team Manager/Leader
IT Services Manager/Leader
SW Quality Manager
SW Architect / Designer
SW Business Manager/Leader
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11. Universities & SEMP Partners
Institutionalizing
ESI CEE-SEMP project (ABF, USAID)
SEMP TQ Center
[Training & Qualification]
Content and Train-the-Trainer Advanced Cyber Security Lab
curriculum
development [professors & trainers qualification] Trainings [Mission: Prevention]
Academic: Business/ex Methodology Individual Qualification Professional Practicum Training : Threat Awareness
-courses ecutive student- qualification accreditation courses (Studio Secure analysis
profiles: centric & maintenance (advanced course) & Coding:
-MS - Cyber-
approach accreditation training) Internship C, C++, Jav Vulnerabiliti Defense
-SEMP MS Continuous paths a (CERT)
education program es
- “Business” Business
diploma CERT-RMM Continuity
(resilience)
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12. Specific: Focus on Cyber Security
Closing gaps & develop good Generic Model to
code: Manage and Assess
Secure Coding Standards the Operational Resilience
[languages + compilers] [Information Security, Security
Business Continuity]
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13. Compliances (1):e-CF, EQF, ECVET…
ENABLE
Dimension 3
PLAN BUILD RUN e-Competence proficiency levels
e-1 to e-5, related to EQF levels 3-8
MANAGE
Dimension 2
36 Competences
http://profilingtool.ecompetences.eu/
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14. Compliances (2): European ICT profiles
[“Towards European e-Job Profiles (2010-2012)”, based on the e-CF www.ecompetences.eu ]
Business Technology
Chief Information Officer
Account Manager
IS Manager
Increasing complexity and autonomy
IS Consultant
Business Analyst
Enterprise Architect
Business IS Manager Project Manager IS Security Manager
Network Specialist
Auditor/QA Manager
Service Manager
Systems Analyst
IS Security Specialist
Database Specialist
ICT Trainer
Systems Administrator
Tests Specialist
Technical Specialist
Multimedia Designer
Developer
Service Desk Agent
14
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15. Compliances (3):
Personal competences versus organizational models:
the parallel jungle?
ITIL ISO 20000
Lifelong Learning
ICT Certification in Action (CEN):
Towards a Convergence and Harmonization Certification
• maps of ICT certifications stakeholders
• positioning e-certifications with e-CF (v2) and EQF, Training
• bridging certifications with education
Job/
Education
Work
www.ict-certification-in-europe.eu
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16. IT is the job market to be in now- right?
700
1'000 jobs
600
500
Turbo Knowledge
400
Investing in the Future
300
Back to Normal
200 Tradition Wins
Stagnation
100
0
-100
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Foresight study anticipates that the EU labour market may face an excess demand of
384,000 ICT practitioners by 2015
http://www.eskills-monitor.eu/documents/Meskills%20Scenario%20and%20Foresight%20report_final.pdf
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17. Other compliances…
Thank you!
George Sharkov, PhD
Managing Director
European Software Institute
Center Eastern Europe
gesha@esicenter.bg
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