To improve productivity and quality, facilitate portability to new platforms and reduce maintenance costs
Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software development method in which models replace the code as the hub of the development process. Working at high levels of abstraction improves productivity and quality, facilitates portability to new platforms and reduces maintenance costs, together with other benefits. MDE techniques are used in different types of industries, such as the mobile communications sector and the car industry, whether to simulate the end product, manage the code for different platforms or configuration of their product catalogue.
In this context, the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness is funding a network of excellence to align the good practices of different Spanish universities in this field, coordinated by the UOC, through Robert Clarisó, from the SOM Research Lab research group, attached to the IN3.
The MDE network
Previous scientific networks have helped create an active MDE community and establish collaboration links following conferences, such as the Conference on Software Engineering and Data Bases (JISBD). The purpose of this themed network is to bring together MDE research groups and companies and explore their main challenges: scalability, usability, construction and integration of tools and new fields of application.
Over the next two years, the UOC will be coordinating the MDE network of excellence thanks to funding from the Networks of Excellence promotion actions programme, with two main priorities to: foster scientific excellence, extending international collaborations and projects; and consolidate the adoption of MDE technologies at industrial level through initiatives such as the creation of industrial doctoral degrees and participation in business clusters and technological platforms.
The scheduled actions include weekly meetings, short stays by researchers at the different institutions participating in the network, visits by international researchers, a summer school for students and young MDE researchers and a portal designed to foster collaborations with companies. To develop internationalization and maximize its impact, some of these actions will be linked to international scientific events organized by members of the network.
The consortium
Coordinated by the UOC, the University of Almería, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the universities of Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura, Málaga and Murcia, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, will be participating in this network. Other universities and companies from the sector will also be participating, such as Open Canarias and IKERLAN.