Department of Software Engineering

History and educational offerings of the department

Our journey in software engineering began back in 1990, when we started Sweden's first education in the field. Today, the department is responsible for education at all levels - from bachelor's programs to doctoral education. We continue to develop our educational offerings to meet the needs of the future.

Research and collaboration

Our research and education environment, SERL Sweden (Software Engineering Research and Education Lab Sweden), is today a world leader in software development. Through close collaborations with both industry and the public sector, we contribute to solving current societal challenges.

We focus on empirical research to strengthen the competitiveness of industry. Together with companies, both locally and internationally, we develop new innovations and technological solutions.

International success and future focus

BTH's research in software engineering is internationally top-ranked, and several of our researchers are among the foremost in the field. We work continuously to strengthen our position as a modern academy with a focus on artificial intelligence, digitalization, and sustainability.

AI-enabled Software Engineering

AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE) and Software Engineering for AI (SE4AI). In principle, AI4SE denotes how AI can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the engineering of Software Intensive Products and Services. SE4AI, in turn, denotes what software engineering principles and practices need to be in place to engineer software that contains “AI components” and how this changes the main and sub-process areas of the engineering discipline.

Research at the Department of Software Engineering

At the Department of Software Engineering, we focus on developing techniques, methods and processes that streamline the creation, operation and maintenance of software-intensive systems. We strive to combine scientific methods with practical application to meet current and future needs.

Our research group SERL Sweden is internationally recognised in empirical and evidence-based software engineering. Working closely with industry, we solve real-world challenges and strengthen the competitiveness of our partners. The goal is to improve the efficiency of software development without compromising on quality.

We offer breadth and depth in software engineering, integrating world-leading research with practical solutions for both technical and business challenges.

Our research areas

We conduct research on a wide range of topics, such as

• AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE)
• Software Engineering for AI (SE4AI)
• Business aspects and innovation in software engineering
• Agile and lean software development
• Empirical and evidence-based methods
• Research methodology
• Global software development
• Human aspects in software engineering
• Requirements management
• Software architectures and product lines
• Process Improvement
• Product management
• Software quality
• Search-based methods
• Verification and validation
• Value-based product development
• Subject-specific didactics

We combine technical excellence with a strong focus on creating societal benefits. Through research and collaboration, we work to shape a sustainable and innovative future.