This is a six-month programme starting on 20th January 2003 which is to be held at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge, UK.

The programme has been organised by Professor Mark Ainsworth, Professor Charles M Elliott and Professor Endre Süli and the main themes of the programme are:

1. Cognitive algorithms: adaptivity, feed-back and a posteriori error control;
2. Hierarchical modelling: multi-scale mathematical models and algorithms;
3. Nonlinear degenerate PDEs and problems with non-smooth solutions and with interfaces and line singularities: fourth-order degenerate parabolic equations, fully nonlinear second-order equations, free boundary problems for unknown codimension 1 interfaces, and equations of motion for line and point defects.

The aim of this programme is to bring together experts in the numerical, applied and computational analysis of PDEs and their applications and to address several major topics of research of significant mathematical, scientific and computational importance.

The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences is a national and international visitor research institute. It runs research programmes on selected themes in mathematics and the mathematical sciences with applications over a wide range of science and technology.

The programme has already attracted leading mathematical scientists from the UK and overseas for short and long stays to interact in research over an extended period. Moreover, there is an attractive programme of workshops:

1. 20-24 January 2003 Mathematical Challenges in Scientific and Engineering Computation;
2. 13-14 February 2003 Computational Challenges in Micromagnetics and Superconductivity - Hewlett-Packard Day;
3. 4-5 March 2003 Computational PDE's: Giving Industry the Edge;
4. 7-11 Apr 2003 Multiscale Modelling, Multiresolution and Adaptivity;
5. 14-18 Apr 2003 INTERPHASE 2003: Numerical Methods for Free Boundary Problems;
6. 8-9 May 2003 The First European Finite Element Fair;
7. 15-16 May Partial Differential Equations and Computational Material Science and Solid Mechanics;
8. 21-24 June 2003 Satellite conference at Brunel University on Mathematics of Finite Elements and Applications;

Further information can be found at the Newton Institute on what promises to be an exciting period.