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Digital Engineering (DEDigital Engineering (DE)) is an Industry 4.0-inspired approach to traditional document-based Systems EngineeringSystems engineering (SE) that aims to incorporate modern digital technologies, approaches, and best practices to improve the efficiency of system lifecycle management. Given its emerging nature, there is a significant DEDigital Engineering (DE) workforce skill gap in the US, and the Department of Defense funded several studies to identify these skills, culminating into the Digital Engineering Competency Framework (DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF)). However, aside from a handful of professional development opportunities that only provide some periphery exposure, DEDigital Engineering (DE) education opportunities in the US are nascent. On the other hand, the German education system, driven by its automotive industry, has been an early adopter of DEDigital Engineering (DE) education and offers several accredited degree programs. This study aims to provide insight into existing formal DEDigital Engineering (DE) educational opportunities in Germany to provide a basis for future research into the development of DEDigital Engineering (DE) educational opportunities in the US and beyond. We investigate the gaps between how German educational programs compare against DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) competencies through a topical analysis, by mining the course catalogs of German DEDigital Engineering (DE) degree programs and mapping these into DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) sub-competencies. We report findings on program-level coverage and which elements of DEDigital Engineering (DE) these programs prioritize. We find that while some degree programs fulfill all DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) sub-competencies, there are nuances in both the priority and weighting of the sub-competencies taught. Overall, the average degree program tends to emphasize modelingModeling, simulationSimulation, software engineering, and communication while neglecting competencies related to digital model-based reviews and digital environment support.

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A Comparative Analysis of Digital Engineering Education in Germany and the United States Department of Defense’s Digital Engineering Competency Framework

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Nicholas Jurczyk,
  • Taylan G. Topcu

摘要

Digital Engineering (DEDigital Engineering (DE)) is an Industry 4.0-inspired approach to traditional document-based Systems EngineeringSystems engineering (SE) that aims to incorporate modern digital technologies, approaches, and best practices to improve the efficiency of system lifecycle management. Given its emerging nature, there is a significant DEDigital Engineering (DE) workforce skill gap in the US, and the Department of Defense funded several studies to identify these skills, culminating into the Digital Engineering Competency Framework (DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF)). However, aside from a handful of professional development opportunities that only provide some periphery exposure, DEDigital Engineering (DE) education opportunities in the US are nascent. On the other hand, the German education system, driven by its automotive industry, has been an early adopter of DEDigital Engineering (DE) education and offers several accredited degree programs. This study aims to provide insight into existing formal DEDigital Engineering (DE) educational opportunities in Germany to provide a basis for future research into the development of DEDigital Engineering (DE) educational opportunities in the US and beyond. We investigate the gaps between how German educational programs compare against DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) competencies through a topical analysis, by mining the course catalogs of German DEDigital Engineering (DE) degree programs and mapping these into DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) sub-competencies. We report findings on program-level coverage and which elements of DEDigital Engineering (DE) these programs prioritize. We find that while some degree programs fulfill all DECFDigital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF) sub-competencies, there are nuances in both the priority and weighting of the sub-competencies taught. Overall, the average degree program tends to emphasize modelingModeling, simulationSimulation, software engineering, and communication while neglecting competencies related to digital model-based reviews and digital environment support.