After successful completion of the course, students are able to:
An algorithmic meta-theorem states that if a problem can be formulated in a certain logical framework, it can be solved efficiently on a certain class of problem inputs. Hence, algorithmic meta-theorems allow formulating general results beyond individual problems and use logical methods to capture whole families of problems at once. In this course, several algorithmic meta-theorems will be considered. It will be discussed how the theorems can be established and how they can be applied to individual problems.
Some of the topics covered by the course:
The core of the course consists of a series of lectures that explore topics in the studied area. The lectures are held in an informal, seminar-like setting and are highly interactive - students are expected to to engage in what's going on actively. Every new method and technique introduced during the lecture is demonstrated in several examples.
Exercises plus oral exam.
Bachelor-level knowledge of graph theory, discrete algorithms and logic is assumed.