Summer Term 2026
Formal Methods in Software Engineering
| Event Type: | Seminar |
|---|---|
| Target Group: | Master Computer Science |
| Scope: | 2 SWS / 3 ECTS |
| Events: | |
| Event Number: | 2400025 |
| ILIAS Course: | |
| Lecturers: |
Prof. Bernhard Beckert |
| Registration: | Register via the Wiwi-Portal. Link will follow. |
| Allocation of Places: | Topics will be distributed at the kickoff event. Priority will be given on a FCFS basis, considering preferences from registration. |
| Prerequisites: | No formal requirements, but prior experience with program analysis, verification or automated reasoning is helpful. |
| Language: | English |
Subject Area
This semester, the presentations will centre on the use of formal methods for software-engineering problems. Although this sounds practical at first glance, we will consider both pragmatic, application-oriented uses of formal methods in software-engineering contexts and deeper theoretical and conceptual foundations of formal methods across various aspects of software engineering. The planned topics for the articles to be presented include the following:
- Bidirectional transformations: Pierce’s concept of lenses
- Verification of graph rewriting systems
- Formal synthesis of reactive systems
- Powerful logic-based planning algorithms
- (Optional) Category theory in software engineering
Some papers will be primarily application-oriented; others will be more theoretical and foundational. The exact selection of papers available for presentation will be announced soon. Stay tuned.
Tasks
For successful participation in the seminar, each participant is expected to achieve the following:
- Reading Assignment: Independently develop the content of the research topic to be presented (usually based on 1 or 2 papers). You will receive the necessary support in regular meetings with a supervisor.
- Presentation and Discussion: Prepare a 25-min presentation on the topic. After the presentations there will be an in-class discussion (roughly around 20 mins) that every student is expected to attend and participate in.
- Postprocessing: Write a report (7-8 pages, ACM Generic Journal Manuscript format) on the motivation of the research topic, state-of-the-art approaches, identify any shortcomings, write the relevant discussions from the class and mention how this research contributes to the broader landscape.
Slides and Material
Topics:
t.b.a.