From Undergraduate (Software) Capstone Projects to Start-ups: Challenges and Opportunities in Higher Institutions of Learning
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Middle East Conference on Software Engineering
Abstract
The capstone project is a fundamental part of almost all science and
engineering degrees. It is not only a requirement for the partial fulfillment
of an accredited university programme but also a method of
assessing the students’ general mastery of concepts, critical thinking,
problem-solving, and transferable skills. Annually, final-year
undergraduate students offering computing programmes in Uganda
build innovative software solutions to real-world problems within
and outside their community. Anecdotal evidence indicates that
most of those innovations have the potential for commercialization
and transformation into technology-based businesses. However,
limited progress has been made to commercialize students’ projects,
and promising solutions are “buried” within academic reports. To
this end, our research aims to explain the challenges and opportunities
in the commercialization of students’ capstone projects across
two (2) undergraduate computing programmes (Bachelor of Science
in Computer Science and Bachelor of Information Technology)
offered at Gulu University in Uganda. Using exploratory research
design, we reviewed eighty-six (86) capstone projects, curricula,
and a facilitated students & stakeholders’ workshop report. This
paper articulates factors hindering the commercialization of undergraduate
software capstone projects and recommends mitigating
measures. It also proposes a framework for extending capstone
course design from a traditional curriculum structure to an inclusive
industry and community-oriented approach capable of turning
ideas into business start-ups. The findings from this research are
expected to inform higher institutions of learning in Africa in developing
novel pedagogical approaches for orchestrating (software)
capstone project courses that are inclusive and profitable beyond
the academic setting.
Description
Keywords
Software Engineering, Capstone Projects, Start-ups, Commercialization
Citation
Ogenrwot, D., Tabo, G. O., Aber, K., & Nakatumba-Nabende, J. (2022, June). From Undergraduate (Software) Capstone Projects to Start-ups: Challenges and Opportunities in Higher Institutions of Learning. In Proceedings of the Federated Africa and Middle East Conference on Software Engineering (pp. 73-82). https://doi.org/10.1145/3531056.3542775