Nonlinear control systems have gained importance in many industrial areas and research has recently undergone significant developments. There are many important challenges in various fields of nonlinear control. NOLCOS addresses these challenges with its focus on the latest developments in the theory and application of nonlinear control systems as well as related areas of research and engineering.

Acknowledged as the major international gathering of leading experts in industry and academia in the field of nonlinear control, NOLCOS aims at strengthening contacts between academia and industry to build up new networks and cultivate existing relations. High-level speakers present the global spectrum of nonlinear control systems, state-of-the-art applications and developing directions.

NOLCOS is also meant as a forum for young scientists from all over the world. They are given the opportunity to introduce their research ambitions and scientific work to an audience of international experts.

The symposium was organised by the South African Council of Automation and Computation (SACAC) on behalf of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC). SACAC is the national member organization of IFAC and consists of 50 institutional and corporate members. Prof. Xiaohua Xia and Prof. Fernando Camisani, both of the University of Pretoria, were responsible for the technical programme and local organization of the symposium, respectively.

The symposium was opened on the 21st of August by Prof. CWI Pistorius, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria. About 150 international and 50 local delegates attended the symposium.

South Africa was recently awarded the next IFAC world congress; to be held in 2014 in Cape Town. The world congress hosts 2000 to 3000 papers. The recent NOLCOS symposium served as a trial organization effort for the world congress.

The next symposium on nonlinear control will be held in Bologna, Italy in 2010. For further information on Nolcos 2007, please visit www.nolcos2007.org.za  

Prof. Calie Pistorius, UP Vice-Chancellor, opens the NOLCOS symposium