Software Engineering Professionalism: Is There a Global Dimension To This?

The prime aim of the panel is to provide a forum to consider the global dimensions of a Software Engineering profession. In particular the panel will be invited to address: the current situation with regard to certification and/or licensing in different countries, the drivers and constraints regarding Software Engineering professionalism, and the extent to which world-wide Software Engineering professionalism is achievable. In particular, the panellists will invited to consider recent developments and address the questions: • Are we seeing any global movements towards Software Engineering professionalism? • Are activities in the Asia Pacific region supporting any such global movements? In their deliberations, the panellists will be directed to consider the following: 1. The development and publication of a Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (The SEEPP project [1]). 2. The development and publication of the trials version of The Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (The SWEBOK project [2]). 3. The current work associated with the production of the Software Engineering Volume for Computing Curriculum 2001 [3]. 4. IEEE Computer Society’s Certified Software Development Professional Program [4]. 5. Recent considerations and evaluations of a document entitled "Harmonization of Professional Standards" with regard to Software Engineering (e.g. [5,6]). The Harmonization of Professional Standards document [7] has been produced under the auspices of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). Essentially it provides a framework [8] for professionalism with sections that address: • Ethics of professional practice, • Established body of knowledge, • Education and training, • Professional experience, • Best practice and proven methodologies and • Maintenance of competence The panel is planned to look into the future and provide differing views from around the Asia Pacific region.