We intend to introduce the students to some important new developments in Singularity Theory and related areas in Algebraic Geometry, and to provide them with the tools necessary for conducting research in these areas.
This aim will be achieved in a series of mini-courses, each one starting with classical material and taking the audience to the current state of art in the subject. The 5th course is a hand-on activity designed to teach the students how to use the powerful computer algebra system SINGULAR.
A second main objective of this school is to facilitate the contacts of the students coming from the South with a large number of mathematicians. This is achieved by organizing this School in Madrid just before the opening of the ICM 2006.