Download ppt

Computer Science & Software
Engineering challenges in
Albania
Organisation of this presentation



Computer Science in Albania
Efforts to modernize the curriculum of
Computer Science according to Bologna
Declaration
Software engineering in old and new
curriculum
Computer Science in Albania


The possibility to study and obtain a diploma
degree in computer science was first
introduced in the University of Tirana in 1984.
For many years, the computer science
degree was intended and treated more as a
degree in applied mathematics, due to the
lack of computers in Albanian universities.
Last year(2002) computer science was
introduced for the first time at Shkodra
University.
Computer Science in Albania(cont.d)

Currently the study includes:



9 Semesters of study with a total of 140 weeks
1 Semester (10 weeks ) for the preparation of the
diploma thesis
The total number of hours is divided in:



52%
38%
10%
computer science subjects
mathematics and physics subjects
others
Changes in the curriculum



The old curriculum hadn‘t undergone any
substantial changes since its creation
To much theory was included in the old
curriculum to fill the lack of computers
The Bologna Declaration, approved in 1999
to unify the higher education in Europe
Changes in the curriculum(cont.d)

All these reasons combined with the help
from german partners(Dr.J.W.Münch and
Prof.Dr.B.Freisleben) and financed from
DAAD brought a new curriculum for CS in the
University of Tirana.
THE NEW CURRICULUM
The new curriculum will contain the following subjects divided as shown among the semesters:
SEMESTER I
Total Lect Sem Lab SEMESTER II
Total Lect Sem Lab
per week
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Practical Computer Skills
Mathematical Analysis I
Physics for Comp. Science
Introd. To Comp. Science I (Pascal)
English
TOTAL
SEMESTER III
12. Graph Theory
13. Statistics & Probability Theory
14. Data Structures & Algorithms I
15. Object Oriented Programming I(JAVA)
16. Multimedia Systems
17. English
TOTAL
SEMESTER V
90
90
60
120
30
390
3
2
3
3
2
3
2
6 6. Mathematical Analysis II
7. Algebra & Geometry
8. Differential Equations
2 9. Digital Electronics
10. Introd. To Comp. Science II (JAVA)
11. English
TOTAL
Total Lect Sem Lab SEMESTER IV
60
60
90
90
60
30
390
per week
2
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
2 2
2
1 1
2
24. Numerical Methods
25. Mathematical Optimisation
26. Operating Systems I
27. Computer Networks I
28. DataBase Systems I
29. Formal Languages
TOTAL
60
60
60
60
60
60
360
SEMESTER VII
Total Lect Sem Lab SEMESTER VIII
36. Software Engineering I
37. Distributed Computing
38. Cryptography & Security
39. Special Course I
40. Special Seminar II
41. Accounting & Economy
TOTAL
SEMESTER IX
47. Expert Systems
48. User Interface Design
49. Data Mining & Machine Learning
50. Soft Computing
51. Image Processing
52. Computer Simulation
TOTAL
PS. 1 teaching unit is equal to 45 minutes.
90
90
60
60
60
360
per week
2
2 2
2
2 2
2
2
2
2
4
2
2
30. Theory of Computation
31. Computer Graphics
32. Operating Systems II
33. Computer Networks II
34. Database Systems II
35. Compiler Construction
TOTAL
42. Software Engineering II
43. Parallel Computing
44. Artificial Intelligence
45. Special Course II
46. WWW Technology & Programming
TOTAL
Total Lect Sem Lab SEMESTER X
60
60
60
60
60
60
360
per week
2
2
DIPLOMA THESIS
2
1 1
2
1 1
2
1 1
2
1 1
2
1 1
per week
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Total Lect Sem Lab
18. Applied Statistics
60
19. Computer Organization & Architecture
90
20. Data Structures & Algorithms II
90
21. Object Oriented Programming II (C++)
90
22. English
30
23. Practice in the industry/Special Seminar I
TOTAL
360
Total Lect Sem Lab SEMESTER VI
per week
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1 1
2
2
2
2
60
60
60
90
90
30
390
per week
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
1
2
2
2
Total Lect Sem Lab
60
60
60
60
60
60
360
per week
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
Total Lect Sem Lab
90
60
60
60
90
360
per week
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Improvements over the old curriculum




The diploma thesis preparation period has been increased from
10 to 20 weeks.
The ratio between computer science subjects and other subjects
has been changed from 52:48 to about 70:30.
The number of laboratory hours has been increased to 660 (1
hour = 45 minutes) which are about 20% of the total hours, to
give the students the needed practical skills.
The subjects are divided in such a way among the semesters
that if sometime in the future the introduction of a bachelor
degree will be allowed in Albania, three years of study will be
necessary to receive this degree with the appropriate education.
Improvements over the old curriculum

Two special seminars are introduced, one in the 4th
semester and the other in the 7th semester, which
require are intended to give the students the
opportunity to work on their own on a topic (e.g.
given out as a research paper or a book chapter),
writing a brief report and then presenting this work to
the other students and the teacher. In the 4th
semester, it is possible to instead do some work
(roughly 3-6 weeks) in industry, also write a brief
report and present the work to the other students
and the teacher. Special Courses are flexible
courses intended to cover hot topics depending on
the time they are taught.
Improvements over the old curriculum


“Special courses” in the 7th and 8th semesters are introduced to
add some flexibility to the curriculum. They are intended to cover
any kind of interesting contents, such as currently “hot” topics in
computer science or also possibly social/philosophical aspects of
information technology. Ideally, there are several offerings from
which the students can choose from.
There are many new subjects in the curriculum to reflect the
modern trends in computer science education, such as:
Multimedia Systems, Theory of Computation, Computer
Graphics, Software Engineering, Distributed Computing, Parallel
Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems, WWW
Technology & Programming, Data Mining & Machine Learning,
Soft Computing, Image Processing, Computer Simulation, User
Interface Design.
Software Engineering in the old and new
curriculum


Software Engineering in the old curriculum
was included in the 5th year, one semester
with an old program of the eighties
In the new curriculum it is divided in two
semesters. The program is similar to
american/westeuropean universities and
some modern books are provided with DAAD
help
My own interest and research on Software
Engineering




Introducions with the SE methods in financial
systems.
Aplying SE methods in a albanian software
companies. (IMB).
Requirements Handling
Developing user-inferface (GUI) and
prototyping.
My own interest and research on Software
Engineering (cont.d)



Making UML the standart modeling language
in software development process in Albania.
Focusing the Software Engineering I course
on learning and aplying UML.
Making Computer Science and Software
academic departments a place to find good
models of Software Engineering