Teaching the next generation of Software Architects

As software keeps getting more and more complex in all its dimensions, Software Architecture (SA) becomes a more and more
relevant subject to teach to future professionals of software development. As a relatively new area of computer science (CS), it is of particular interest to analyze who is doing this important task.
We surveyed the CS programs and curricula of the best-ranked
universities in Spain, Europe and the world, to find that many
universities do not include SA among the courses they offer their
CS undergraduate students. In those which do, the presence of
women as subject coordinators or responsible persons is low, with
a stricking total absence of women as SA faculty in top European
institutions. May this serve as a wake-up call to the European
Software Architecture community.

1. Teaching the next generation
of Software Architects
Laura M. Castro
Universidade da Coruña (Spain)
September 26th, 2018

2. First gender-focused analysis of
university-level Software Architecture courses
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3. 3

4. 3

5. 3

6. 3

7. !Many universities donotinclude SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

8. !Many universities donotinclude SA courses
62,5%worldwide!
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

9. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

10. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
lessthan30%
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

11. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

12. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
only3worldwide
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

13. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

14. !Many universities do not include SA courses
!Low number of women as SA teachers
!Low presence of women as SA coordinators
!No women in top-most EU universities
4

15. !40 best-ranked universities in
Spain/EU/world
!people classified based on picture at
university profile page/academic social
networks
5

16. !40 best-ranked universities in
Spain/EU/world
!people classified based on picture at
university profile page/academic social
networks
5

17. !SA follows the same “trend” as the rest of
ICT/STEM
!Some anomaly might be present in EU
university
!Women in SA need visibility
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18. Thanks!
Questions?