Systems engineering for the 21st century - Education panel at SMC '95

This paper presents the issues raised in the Panel Session on Systems Engineering Education that took place at the IEEE SMC '95, Vancouver, British Columbia. The panel discussed issues for the 21st Century education, addressing more specifically SE. The panelists were professors with a vision on the future of the field, from both the US and Europe. First this article gives the three questions addressing major SE Education issues with which the session started. Then the issues discussed are summarized: The need for SE, desirability of project courses, potential conflict between a theory-based and an applications-based curriculum, a complete change in the program versus traditional courses, the role of mathematics in SE curricula, and educational trajectories, traditional, mono-disciplinary or interdisciplinary. Some of the main points of interest in undergraduate SE education are given: capstone courses and/or project work as well as core course requirements. An answer to the question if systems education is related to research or it is just transfer of practice and experience, is attempted. The article ends with some conclusions on SE in the present dynamically-changing nature of the professional environment. The need of annual panel discussions to uncover and clarify the changes for an improved curriculum that better prepares graduates for their future professional life is stared.