UW, colleges work with UK university, industry on software engineering program

Students in Wyoming may soon have access to an innovative program in software engineering through a partnership involving Cardiff University in Wales, United Kingdom; the University of Wyoming; Wyoming community colleges; and industry partners in the state.

UW has developed a memorandum of understanding with Cardiff University to cultivate academic and cultural interchange between the two institutions. This agreement will make available to Wyoming students an applied software engineering degree, based on a curriculum offered by Cardiff’s School of Computer Science and Informatics, possibly as early as fall 2021.

During an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse, UW Director of Institutional Communications Chad Baldwin told listeners this partnership is also an example of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s initiative, Wyoming Innovation Network.

Gordon recently unveiled the proposal for modernizing and refocusing Wyoming’s higher education system. The WIN initiative calls for closer collaboration between the University of Wyoming and the state’s community colleges and an emphasis on developing innovation solutions that will support and enhance Wyoming’s economy and workforce. UW President Ed Seidel will chair a committee directing the effort that includes higher education leadership from around the state.

The online program will help UW and the community colleges accomplish their objective of preparing Wyoming residents to participate in the 21st century workforce and diversify the state’s economy.

The head of the School of Computer Science and Informatics at Cardiff University, Professor Stuart Allen, said he is delighted that his school is working with UW on this project.

Cardiff’s program was established in partnership with Welsh government and industry leaders, with the aim of giving students “real-life” projects to work on throughout their studies — and providing opportunities to engage with experienced professionals from industry. It was created in response to concerns from industry that software engineering graduates were lacking in a number of essential skills to make them ready for the workplace once they leave universities.

While discussions are continuing, UW and the state’s community colleges are working with Cardiff and industry partners toward initially offering a two-year degree in software engineering, then possible development of a bachelor’s degree. Students would take a series of online modules, studying within an environment that mimics the workplace in the software engineering industry.

Wyoming companies that have expressed an interest in participating include Laramie-based Trihydro Corp.

Representatives of Cardiff, UW, community colleges and industry are working to finalize an initial curriculum. Those discussions will help determine if it’s possible to launch at least part of the program in the fall.