Introducing sustainability in a software engineering curriculum through requirements engineering

Abstract

There is a worldwide concern in relation to the environment and sustainability. Research programs at national, European and international levels, as well as new public policies, are pursuing their objectives to solve these problems. The awareness and education on this problem is a necessary and transversal activity to all disciplines. Besides, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are one of the pillars of our society. The educational curriculum related to this sector should be the entry point to learn about sustainable development. Our proposal is the introduction of sustainability in an undergraduate computer science curriculum, specifically in the field of Software Engineering. In this work, the proposal is articulated around a critical discipline within Software Engineering: Requirements Engineering. Therefore, sustainability will acquire a leading role in the development process and will be part of the requirements of the system. This action will also transfer awareness of sustainability to customers and end-users of these products. Our proposal is compatible with the so-called Karlskrona Manifesto on sustainable development, which defines the key aspects related to sustainability and ICT.