SoSyM

Information about theme sections

A theme section contains scientific papers that all focus on a highly-relevant and important topic in the area of software and system modeling. A theme section may also cover a highly-innovative new topic where it is foreseeable that models will play an important role.

Please note: As these theme sections are published as part of the regular printed issues we usually use the wording "theme section" instead of "theme issue".

Typically two editors are responsible for putting a theme section together. We expect the editors to define the theme, select relevant literature for the theme that builds a solid integrated bases, to publish an open call for paper and actively solicit a number of respected researchers and practitioners from that area to submit papers. A potential source of prospective submitters is a conference or a series of high quality workshops that cover the desired theme. The theme editors (who may be the conference or workshop organizers) can invite the authors of the best papers in the conference or workshop to submit an extended and substantially enhanced version of their paper by a certain deadline and also run an open call for articles. Under the supervision of the theme editors the submitted papers will be rigorously reviewed and the accepted papers will be published in the theme section.

Requirements:

  • Theme editors of SoSyM theme sections must have demonstrated understanding what successful SoSyM submissions are, e.g., through close connections to the software and systems modeling community at the MODELS conference and the SoSyM journal (e.g. as author, organizer, editor).
  • The theme editors, their relatives, and their current research collaborators must not submit papers to be published in the theme section.
  • Papers that were published in a respected conference before need to be considerably enhanced and extended and the differences have to be made clear in the article.

If you are interested in editing a theme section for the SoSyM journal, please contact the Editors-in-Chief (contact and process see below).

Editors of theme sections write either a short editorial or submitt a complete overview article on the theme, describing the basic definitions, techniques, methods and results in that field, including a thorough overview of the literature. This article should in a first version be written and made available for the other papers, such that a common ground is defined.

Theme Sections planned, in progress, or recently finished

Topics for Theme Sections

The following topics have been suggested by the Editorial Board, but there is not yet a group of editors for these topics to organize an according theme section. Interested?:
  • Machine Learning combined with explicit Models
  • Integrating Engineering and Machine-Learned Models
  • Extracting Engineered Models from ML (as explanation?)
  • Modeling Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Low-Code
  • Modeling Cybersecurity
  • Digital Twin
  • Industry 4.0
  • Modeling Laws and Contracts for Digitalization
  • Scientific Models in Domain X (for Simulation/Prediction/ etc.), e.g. climate models
  • Predictive Models
  • Formal Models and their Verification
  • Modeling Requirements
  • Multi-Viewpoint Modeling
  • Models in Agile Systems Engineering Processes
  • Explicit Models Augmented with Uncertainty
  • Model-based Systems Engineering: State of the Art?
  • Application of Large Language Models (LLMs) to software and systems modeling (e.g., deriving models from requirements; model refinement and correction; and code generation/executability of models)

Published Theme Sections

  1. Theme Section on Model Driven Engineering for Digital Twins
    organized by Djamel Eddine Khelladi, Tony Clark, Vinay Kulkarni, & Steffen Zschaler
    Volume 24, issue 5, October 2025

  2. Theme Section on Models and Evolution
    organized by Dalila Tamzalit & Ludovico Iovino
    Volume 24, issue 2, April 2025

  3. Theme Section on Modeling and Sustainability
    organized by Istvan David, Ankica Barišić, & Dominik Bork
    Volume 24, issue 2, April 2025

  4. Theme Section "Requirements Formalisation: From Text to Model-based"
    organized by Kevin Lano, Shekoufeh Kolahdouz-Rahimi, Sobhan Yassipour-Tehrani, Lola Burgueño, & Mohammad Aminu Umar
    Volume 23, issue 6, December 2024

  5. Theme Section on "Trends in Enterprise Architecture Management Research"
    organized by Sybren de Kinderen & Dominik Bork
    Volume 23, issue 3, June 2024

  6. Theme Section on "Model and Data Engineering"
    organized by Ladjel Bellatreche, Christian Attiogbé, & Sadok Ben Yahia
    Volume 22, issue 6, December 2023

  7. Theme Section on Modeling Language Engineering
    organized by Benoit Combemale, Romina Eramo, & Juan de Lara
    Volume 22, issue 3, June 2023

  8. Theme Section on Model-Driven Requirements Engineering
    organized by Ana Moreira, Gunter Mussbacher, João Araujo, & Pablo Sánchez
    Volume 21, issue 6, December 2022

  9. Theme Section on Modeling in Low-Code Development Platforms
    organized by Davide Di Ruscio, Esther Guerra, & Massimo Tisi
    Volume 21, issue 5, October 2022

  10. Theme Section on Open Environmental Software Systems Modeling
    organized by Tao Yue, Paolo Arcaini, Ji Wu, & Xiaowei Huang
    Volume 21, issue 4, August 2022

  11. Theme Section on Agile Model-Driven Engineering
    organized by Kevin Lano, Shekoufeh Kolahdouz-Rahimi, Javier Troya, & Hessa Alfraihi
    Volume 21, issue 4, August 2022

  12. Theme Section on AI-enhanced Model-Driven Engineering
    organized by Lola Burgueño, Jordi Cabot, Manuel Wimmer, & Steffen Zschaler
    Volume 21, issue 3, June 2022

  13. Theme Section on Multi-Level Modeling
    organized by Adrian Rutle & Manuel Wimmer
    Volume 21, issue 2, April 2022

  14. Theme section on multi-paradigm modeling for cyber-physical systems
    organized by Eugene Syriani & Manuel Wimmer
    Volume 20, issue 3, June 2021

  15. Theme section on interplay of model-driven and component-based software engineering
    organized by Federico Ciccozzi, Antonio Cicchetti & Andreas Wortmann
    Volume 19, issue 6, November 2020

  16. Theme section on model-based engineering of smart systems
    organized by John Fitzgerald, Fuyuki Ishikawa & Peter Gorm Larsen
    Volume 19, issue 3, May 2020

  17. Theme section on model-based design of cyber-physical systems
    organized by Manfred Broy, Heinrich Daembkes & Janos Sztipanovits
    Volume 18, issue 3, June 2019

  18. Theme section on model-based testing
    organized by Mike Papadakis, Shaukat Ali & Gilles Perrouin
    Volume 18, issue 2, April 2019

  19. Theme issue on model-driven engineering of component-based software systems
    organized by Federico Ciccozzi, Jan Carlson, Patrizio Pelliccione & Massimo Tivoli
    Volume 18, issue 1, February 2019

  20. Theme section on performance modelling and engineering of software and systems
    organized by Catalina M. Lladó & Kai Sachs
    Volume 17, issue 2, May 2018

  21. Theme issue on multi-level modeling
    organized by Colin Atkinson, Thomas Kühne & Juan de Lara
    Volume 17, issue 1, February 2018

  22. Theme section of BPMDS'2014: the human perspective in business processes
    organized by Selmin Nurcan & Rainer Schmidt
    Volume 16, issue 3, July 2017

  23. Theme issue on variability modeling of software-intensive systems
    organized by Andrzej Wąsowski & Thorsten Weyer
    Volume 16, issue 1, February 2017

  24. Theme issue on integrated formal methods
    organized by Einar Broch Johnsen & Luigia Petre
    Volume 15, issue 4, October 2016

  25. Theme issue on models for quality of software architecture
    organized by Dorina C. Petriu & Jens Happe
    Volume 13, issue 4, October 2014

  26. Theme Section on enterprise modelling
    organized by Tony Clark, Florian Matthes, Balbir Barn & Alan Brown
    Volume 13, issue 3, July 2014

  27. Theme issue on model-driven service engineering
    organized by Juan Manuel Vara, Mike Papazoglou & Il-Yeol Song
    Volume 13, issue 2, May 2014

  28. Theme issue on models and evolution
    organized by Dalila Tamzalit, Bernhard Schätz, Alfonso Pierantonio & Dirk Deridder
    Volume 13, issue 2, May 2014

  29. Theme issue on domain-specific modeling in theory and applications
    organized by Juha-Pekka Tolvanen, Matti Rossi & Jeff Gray
    Volume 13, issue 1, February 2014

  30. Software and systems modeling with graph transformations theme issue
    organized by Andy Schürr & Arend Rensink
    Volume 13, issue 1, February 2014

  31. Theme issue on performance modeling
    organized by David J. Lilja & Raffaela Mirandola
    Volume 12, issue 4, October 2013

  32. Theme Section on Model-Driven Web Engineering
    organized by Geert-Jan Houben, Nora Koch, Gustavo Rossi & Antonio Vallecillo
    Volume 12, issue 1, February 2013

  33. Theme issue on model-based interoperability
    organized by Tony Clark & Jorn Bettin
    Volume 11, issue 1, February 2012

  34. Theme issue on non-functional system properties in domain specific modeling languages
    organized by Marko Bošković, Dragan Gašević, Claus Pahl & Bernhard Schätz
    Volume 10, issue 3, July 2011

  35. Theme issue on traceability in model-driven engineering
    organized by Richard F. Paige, Goran K. Olsen, Jon Oldevik & Tor Neple
    Volume 9, issue 4, September 2010
    Volume 10, issue 1, February 2011

  36. Theme issue on metamodelling
    organized by Thomas Kühne
    Volume 8, issue 4, September 2009

Editors-in-Chief Contact Information

Bernhard Rumpe (primary contact for theme sections)

  • Email: bernhard.rumpeatsosym.org
  • Voice:  +49-241-80-21301
  • German Mail:
    Software Engineering
    RWTH Aachen University
    Ahornstraße 55
    D-52074 Aachen, Germany

Outline of Submission/Review Process for Theme Sections:

  1. Interested editors submit a SoSyM theme section proposal, containing information about the contents, the paper solicitation process, a list of basic literature that has been published in the field and that the authors can rely on (including relevant recent SoSyM papers), a draft Call for Papers, and authors that will be invited to submit papers.
    Provided documents:
  2. If there is a related conference or workshop, then the following has to be described: the conference or workshop and its review process (e.g. acceptance rate, total number of papers), the number of potential papers including titles and authors, a proposed schedule and other helpful information. Papers accepted to the conference or workshop must have been through a thorough review process prior to their acceptance.
  3. Deadlines must be defined. A useful pattern is given below (x is in weeks):

    x-33 CfP for a SoSyM theme section, candidates may be papers with smaller versions already published in the conference/workshop.
    x-24 Papers are submitted to SoSyM via the online system Manuscript Central. The paper type is 'theme section paper' and the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) is Bernhard Rumpe. Authors also indicate that the theme editor is the preferred editor, and note that the paper is being submitted to the particular theme section. Beforehand a complete list of titles and authors of all expected papers is sent to the EiC.
    x-23 Reviewers are assigned by Program Committee Chair (who serves as editor of the theme section) via Manuscript Central. The time for a review is 30 days (counted from the day the reviewer accepted).
    x-16 Check status of reviews; reminders are sent if necessary to the editors, who send them on to reviewers.
    x-9 Reviews/acknowledgements are sent to authors by the Editor-in-Chief.
    x-2 Final versions arrive at SoSyM, via Manuscript Central (usually only minor changes can be handled in that time. Major revisions need extra time for another round of reviews.)
    x Editor or reviewers re-review minor changes and editor gives approval. Usually another full review cycle for major revisions has to be started.

  4. The CfP is published.
  5. The papers (as well as the reviews later) are submitted via the online system Manuscript Central.
  6. The theme editors act as supervisors for the papers. They assign at least three reviewers to each paper. These are acknowledged by the Editors-in-Chief. The theme editors also make the final recommendation. The editors can recommend that a paper be accepted (with or without minor revisions), rejected or resubmitted for another review after a major revision. The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief and he notifies the paper's contact author with the result of the review process, including reviewers' comments.
  7. The review process for theme papers doesn't differ from the regular process, but the reviewers for the theme papers can come from the program committee of a conference or workshop related to the theme section.
  8. Once a final decision for each submission is made, the ordering of the accepted papers in the theme section is decided by the theme editors. They also write an Editorial for the theme section.


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