Systems Engineering Competency Expectations, Gaps, and Program Analysis

Jon Wade, Hortense Gerardo, Harold Sorenson (University of California, San Diego)

Keywords
engineering competencies;competency frameworks;systems engineering graduate programs;systems engineering education ecosystem
Abstract

System engineering education is challenged to address the needs posed by rapidly changing technology epitomized by Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation. In particular, there are relatively slow and inaccurate feedback mechanisms between the needs of employers, students and universities at the level of educational program content development. This objective of this work is to use the SE competency framework developed by the Systems Engineering Education Ecosystem (SEEE) project to determine the competency needs of our sponsoring organizations, analyze the curricula of our current SE program for its evolution, and guide the development of our future SE program specializations. This paper presents the results of a methodology to improve the feedback between systems engineering employers and universities in academic program curricula development through survey and academic program analysis.