Teaching introductory programming in top universities: A global study of languages, paradigms, assessment, and AI

This study examines the first two introductory computer science courses (CS1 and CS2) at the world's top universities, focusing on the choice of programming languages and paradigms, assessment types and weights, and policies regarding student use of AI tools. Data were compiled from 150 programming courses across 83 institutions ranked in the Shanghai 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for Computer Science & Engineering. The analysis reveals that the prevailing languages are Python in CS1 (32.5%) and Java in CS2 (56.7%). Typical transitions from CS1 to CS2 involve moving from Python or C to Java. There are some regional preferences: Asian institutions favor lower-level languages like C and C++, whereas European universities explore functional programming languages like Haskell. Regarding programming paradigms, CS1 emphasizes imperative approaches, sometimes introducing object-oriented concepts later in the course, while CS2 consolidates object-oriented programming. However, some CS1 courses adopt a functional paradigm. Course assessments are typically divided into several categories, with a preference for exams and various types of continuous assessments. However, there is also significant use of projects, quizzes, and labs. Examinations usually have the highest weight in the final grade. Course-level policies on students' use of generative AI tools reveal very different approaches, from complete prohibition to active encouragement. These findings offer valuable insights into how leading universities approach programming education in a multidimensional view that includes languages, paradigms, assessments, and AI tools policies.