MGS 2016

Midlands Graduate School

in the

Foundations of Computing Science

University of Birmingham, UK, 11 - 15 April, 2016

The Midlands Graduate School (MGS) in the Foundations of Computing Science provides an intensive course of lectures on the Mathematical Foundations of Computing. It has run annually since 1999, attracts students internationally, and is hosted by the Universities of Birmingham, Leicester, Sheffield and Nottingham in rotation. The lectures are aimed at PhD students, typically in their first or second year of study. However, the school is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the mathematical foundations of computing, and all such participants are warmly welcomed.

MGS 2016 was held in Birmingham, UK, 11 - 15 April, hosted by the School of Computer Science of the University of Birmingham.

MGS 2016 group photo

Invited Lecturer:

Steve Brookes

Courses

The following courses will be held at the MGS. Abstracts are here.

Introductory Courses:

Advanced Courses:

Timetable

Each course consists of lectures (L) and exercise classes (E).

Mon 11 April Tues 12 April Wed 13 April Thurs 14 April Fri 15 April
Building Learning Centre Learning Centre Mechanical Engineering Learning Centre Learning Centre
09:00-10:00
 
 
NTT(L), UG09  
 
 
NTT(L), UG09  
GAME(E), UG10  
DSC(E), UG06  
DEN(L), B01  
COALG(E), B05  
LLLR(E), B22  
DEN(L), UG09  
COALG(E), UG06  
LLLR(E), LG14  
DEN(L), UG09  
COALG(E), UG06  
LLLR(E), UG10  
10:00-11:00
 
 
 
CAT(L), UG09  
 
 
 
CAT(L), UG09  
WMC(E), UG05  
SPV(E), UG06  
LIN(E), UG10  
CAT(L), B05  
WMC(E), B04  
SPV(E), B01  
LIN(E), B22  
CAT(L), UG09  
WMC(E), UG05  
SPV(E), UG06  
LIN(E), LG14  
CAT(L), UG09  
WMC(E), UG05  
SPV(E), UG06  
LIN(E), UG10  
11:00-11:30
coffee (and registration on Monday) in the Computer Science Atrium
11:30-12:30
 
 
DEN(L), UG09  
 
 
DEN(L), UG09  
COALG(E), UG06  
LLLR(E), UG10  
NTT(L), B05  
GAME(E), B01  
DSC(E), B22  
NTT(L), UG09  
GAME(E), LG14  
DSC(E), UG06  
NTT(L), UG09  
GAME(E), UG10  
DSC(E), UG06  
12:30-14:00
lunch break
14:00-15:00
WMC(L), UG09  
WMC(L), UG09  
WMC(L), Biosciences 301  
WMC(L), UG09  
15:00-16:00
 
 
SPV(L), UG06  
LIN(L), UG10  
CAT(E), UG05  
SPV(L),UG06  
LIN(L),UG10  
CAT(E), UG05  
SPV(L), B01  
LIN(L), B22  
CAT(E), B05  
SPV(L), UG06  
LIN(L), UG10  
CAT(E), UG05  
16:00-16:30
coffee in the Computer Science Atrium
16:30-17:30
 
 
GAME(L), UG10  
DSC(L), UG06  
NTT(E), UG05  
GAME(L), UG10  
DSC(L), UG06  
NTT(E), UG05  
GAME(L), B01  
DSC(L), B22  
NTT(E), B05  
GAME(L), UG10  
DSC(L), UG06  
NTT(E), UG05  
17:30-18:30
 
 
COALG(L), UG06  
LLLR(L), UG10  
DEN(E), UG05  
COALG(L), UG06  
LLLR(L), UG10  
DEN(E), UG05  
COALG(L), B05  
LLLR(L), B22  
DEN(E), B01  
COALG(L), UG06  
LLLR(L), UG10  
DEN(E), UG05  


Evening events

Registration

Registration includes coffee breaks and the workshop dinner on 14 April. Registration has now closed.

Early booking until 5 March

Student/academic rate £190
General rate £290

Late booking until 24 March

Student/academic rate £360
General rate £460

Accommodation

We have reserved rooms until the end of February at the Ibis Budget Hotel. The price is £225.50 for either a double room (one bed) or triple room (two beds) for 5 nights. Breakfast is an extra £27.50 per person for 5 days. Please quote confirmation number 651376 when booking.

Directions

There are frequent trains from Birmingham International airport to Birminghan New Street station.

To walk from New Street station to the Ibis Budget hotel, exit the station on the Southside and then follow these directions.

To go from the Ibis Budget hotel to the University, you can either walk all the way, or walk to Five Ways station and take a train, or walk to New Street station and take a train. Every train to Longbridge, Redditch, Cardiff or Hereford stops at the University.

New Street Five Ways University Final destination
08:02 08:05 08:09 Redditch
08:12 08:15 08:19 Longbridge
08:22 08:25 08:29 Redditch
08:30 Doesn't stop 08:36 Cardiff
08:32 08:35 08:39 Longbridge
08:42 08:45 08:49 Redditch
08:49 Doesn't stop 08:55 Hereford
08:52 08:55 08:59 Longbridge

It is strongly recommended to buy tickets in advance, because the machines will be crowded. Go to the National Rail website, and ask for a return ticket from Birmingham to University (Birmingham) on Monday, departing at 08:00 and returning at 19:00. Press "Go" then select an Anytime Day Return ticket for £2.90. (The time you select is irrelevant; the ticket may be used at any time.) Buy the ticket, specifying Birmingham New Street as the collection place, and do the same for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You will be given codes that you can enter into a machine at New Street on Sunday to collect your tickets. Be sure to have with you the card you used to buy the tickets.

On Monday, a group will leave the hotel at 08:10 sharp to walk to Five Ways station.

To go from the University station to Monday morning lectures, exit the station, turn left, cross the road, enter the Learning Centre, and UG09 is the second room on the right. Coffee breaks are in the School of Computer Science, directly opposite the Learning Centre. Here is a map of all the buildings we are using.

Sunday evening

There will be an informal get-together at the Ibis Budget hotel at 18:30 on Sunday. Then at 19:00 we'll move on to Cherry Red's cafe bar, the one on John Bright Street near to New Street station, not the one in Kings Heath.

Restaurants

Lunch may be purchased at Staff House or at other outlets on campus. In the evenings, there are many restaurants near the University (on Bristol Road) and in the city centre.

Organization

Paul Blain Levy (P.B.Levy@cs.bham.ac.uk)