Industry/university collaborations: different perspectives heighten mutual opportunities

Abstract In this paper, we present the results of a survey of formal industry/university collaborations. The purpose of these collaborations is to meet the software engineering education and training needs of adult learners through joint ventures such as graduate programs (degree and certificate) and professional development activities (customized classes, seminars, forums, and conferences). Members of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) working group on software engineering education and training conducted the survey in 1997–1998. The working group drew on the extensive experience of industry and university collaboration participants to help answer practical questions about the benefits of collaboration, the collaboration process itself, successful collaboration administration and programming, and lessons learned. Survey results are being published as a service to the software engineering education and training community to assist organizations interested in forming a new collaboration or improving an existing collaboration.