Computer software is a pervasive factor in advancing the progress and increasing the efficiency of industry, science, commerce and communication. Moreover, it is a significant contributor to the general quality of life of the individual citizen. Future potential contributions are likely to be even greater. Realization of the potential and avoidance of the global risks inherent to the introduction of any new technology, will depend on the imagination, invention, skill and professional discipline of future cohorts of software engineers. This volume focuses on the education of researchers, teachers, students and practitioners in the foundation for the necessary disciplines. As usual in engineering, a study and application of the relevant branches of mathematics is crucial both in education and practice. Only this can give assurance of high reliability and optimization of cost and benefit of an engineering product. In the case of large-scale software design, the relevant technology is provided by logic and algebra, on the basis of general mathematical modeling. The details of application of the technology are increasingly supported by sophisticated tool-sets. The remarkable broad scope and the importance of its subject matter makes this a truly noteworthy volume.
