The speaker will discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on software engineering education, with a specific focus on the need to move beyond the education of programming activities and instead develop intelligent judgment. This is particularly important, as artificial intelligence continues to play an increasingly important role in the development, testing, and deployment of software. This presentation will use examples of intelligent judgment through the context of artificial intelligence-based testing workflows, with a specific focus on improving quality, efficiency, and conceptual understanding. It also presents a framework for transforming the education curriculum through a multi-level framework.
Software Engineering Department Chair
Al-Yamamah University
Prof. Mohammed Akour is a Software Engineering Professor and industry-focused academic leader with broad experience in software testing, quality assurance, agile development, and engineering education. He combines strong academic credentials with hands-on experience in mentoring teams, leading programs, and improving engineering practices across multiple institutions.
Prof. Akour earned his Bachelor's (2006) and Master's (2008) degrees in Computer Information Systems from Yarmouk University with honors and completed his PhD in Software Engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU), also with honors. His career spans both academia and applied software engineering, starting as a Lecturer at Yarmouk University in 2008, then rejoining in 2013 as a faculty member after completing his PhD.
Across his roles, Prof. Akour has contributed to building high-quality, industry-relevant software engineering programs, strengthening accreditation and quality assurance processes, and supporting the adoption of modern engineering practices—including automated testing and agile methodologies. He served for two years as Head of Accreditation and Quality Assurance at Yarmouk University and was appointed Director of the Computer and Information Center in 2017. He later served as Vice Dean of Student Affairs in 2018.
In 2019, he joined Al Yamamah University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) as an Associate Professor and Software Engineering Program Coordinator, where he actively led curriculum modernization, industry partnerships, and student mentoring. In 2021, he moved to Prince Sultan University as Professor of Software Engineering, serving as Chair of the Computer Science Department (2023–2024) and Chair of the Software Engineering Department (2024–2025), leading major improvements in teaching quality, research productivity, and experiential learning initiatives. He rejoined Al Yamamah University in 2025.
