Teaching software engineering by means of a ''virtual enterprise''

In this experience report we present our recently introduced software engineering curriculum, which focuses on multi-semester, interlaced projects. Our curriculum aims at a very application-oriented education in order to bridge the gap between studentship and professional employeeship. We explain our structure of the curriculum and its support of real, external projects. Sample projects are discussed and our conclusions are presented showing how software engineering as a science and as a profession can benefit from teaching it by real-life projects. One interesting aspect might be the comparison of our Austrian (and European) situation and results with the situation in Canada and the U.S.A.