A Semantic-Web Oriented Competency Model for Engineering Programs

TL;DR

This paper introduces a methodology to translate comprehensive computing Bodies of Knowledge into competency-based curricula, demonstrated through a five-year engineering program with explicit mappings and a semantic wiki infrastructure.

Contribution

It presents a novel competency-mapping methodology linking Bodies of Knowledge to curricula, supported by a semantic wiki for collaborative curriculum management.

Findings

Developed ISANUM program with 23 competencies and 494 knowledge topics.

Mapped competencies to Computing Curricula 2020 knowledge areas.

Provided a semantic wiki infrastructure for curriculum collaboration.

Abstract

Despite comprehensive Bodies of Knowledge (BoKs) documenting core knowledge across software engineering, computer science, information systems, and emerging computing fields, a critical gap persists: methodologies for integrating this knowledge into coherent competency-based curricula that prepare graduates for professional careers remain underdeveloped. This paper presents a competency-mapping methodology that bridges Bodies of Knowledge and competency frameworks to design computing curricula. We demonstrate this methodology through ISANUM, a five-year engineering degree program featuring 23 competencies organized into five thematic blocks, each with explicit mappings to 494 knowledge topics from 34 Computing Knowledge areas defined in Computing Curricula 2020. The program integrates three specialized pathways (Software Engineering, Data Engineering \& Data Science, and Information Technology) with mandatory work-study programs, ensuring graduates develop both theoretical foundations and practical workplace competencies. Our contribution provides computing educators with a replicable methodology for translating Bodies of Knowledge into assessable competency frameworks, supported by a semantic wiki infrastructure (ISANUMpedia) enabling collaborative curriculum understanding, maintenance and evolution.