This book contains all refereed papers that were accepted to the fifth edition of the " Complex Systems Design & Management " (CSD&M 2014) international conference which took place in Paris (France) on the November 12-14, 2014. These proceedings cover the most recent trends in the emerging field of complex systems sciences & practices from an industrial and academic perspective, including the main industrial domains (aeronautic & aerospace, transportation & systems, defense & security, electronics & robotics, energy & environment, health & welfare services, software & e-services), scientific & technical topics (systems fundamentals, systems architecture & engineering, systems metrics & quality, systemic tools) and system types (transportation systems, embedded systems, software & information systems, systems of systems, artificial ecosystems). The CSD&M 2014 conference is organized under the guidance of the CESAMES non-profit organization, address: CESAMES, 8 rue de Hanovre, 75002 Paris, France.

This research aims to achieve a fundamental understanding of synchronization and its interplay with the topology of complex networks. Synchronization is a ubiquitous phenomenon observed in different contexts in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering. Most prominently, synchronization takes place in the brain, where it is associated with several cognitive capacities but is - in abundance - a characteristic of neurological diseases. Besides zero-lag synchrony, group and cluster states are considered, enabling a description and study of complex synchronization patterns within the presented theory. Adaptive control methods are developed, which allow the control of synchronization in scenarios where parameters drift or are unknown. These methods are, therefore, of particular interest for experimental setups or technological applications. The theoretical framework is demonstrated on generic models, coupled chemical oscillators and several detailed examples of neural networks.

This textbook aims to provide a clear understanding of the various tools of analysis and design for robust stability and performance of uncertain dynamic systems. In model-based control design and analysis, mathematical models can never completely represent the "real world" system that is being modeled, and thus it is imperative to incorporate and accommodate a level of uncertainty into the models. This book directly addresses these issues from a deterministic uncertainty viewpoint and focuses on the interval parameter characterization of uncertain systems. Various tools of analysis and design are presented in a consolidated manner. This volume fills a current gap in published works by explicitly addressing the subject of control of dynamic systems from linear state space framework, namely using a time-domain, matrix-theory based approach. This book also: Presents and formulates the robustness problem in a linear state space model framework. Illustrates various systems level methodologies with examples and applications drawn from aerospace, electrical and mechanical engineering. Provides connections between lyapunov-based matrix approach and the transfer function based polynomial approaches. Robust Control of Uncertain Dynamic Systems: A Linear State Space Approach is an ideal book for first year graduate students taking a course in robust control in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering.

This book presents an analysis of the dynamics and the complexity of new product development projects which are organized according to the concept of concurrent engineering. The approach of the authors includes both a theoretical and an empirical treatment of the topic, based on the theory of design structure matrices. Readers will discover diverse perspectives and mathematical models, as well as an extensive discussion of two case studies.

This book presents an innovative control system design process motivated by renewable energy electric grid integration problems. The concepts developed result from the convergence of research and development goals which have important concepts in common: exergy flow, limit cycles, and balance between competing power flows. A unique set of criteria is proposed to design controllers for a class of nonlinear systems. A combination of thermodynamics with Hamiltonian systems provides the theoretical foundation which is then realized in a series of connected case studies. It allows the process of control design to be viewed as a power flow control problem, balancing the power flowing into a system against that being dissipated within it and dependent on the power being stored in it - an interplay between kinetic and potential energies. Human factors and the sustainability of self-organizing systems are dealt with as advanced topics.

Modern Geometrical Machinery; 1 .1 Introduction; 1 .2 Smooth Manifolds; 1.2.1 Intuition Behind a Smooth Manifold; 1.2.2 Definition of a Smooth Manifold; 1.2.3 Smooth Maps Between Manifolds; 1.2.4 (Co)Tangent Bundles of a Smooth Manifold; 1.2.5 Tensor Fields and Bundles of a Smooth Manifold; 1.2.6 Lie Derivative on a Smooth Manifold; 1.2.7 Lie Groups and Associated Lie Algebras; 1.2.8 Lie Symmetries and Prolongations on Manifolds;1.2.9 Riemannian Manifolds; 1.2.10 Finsler Manifolds; 1.2.11 Symplectic Manifolds; 1.2.12 Complex and Kahler Manifolds; 1.2.13 Conformal Killing-Riemannian Geometry; 1.3 Fibre Bundles; 1.3.1 Intuition Behind a Fibre Bundle; 1.3.2 Definition of a Fibre Bundle;1.3.3 Vector and Affine Bundles; 1.3.4 Principal Bundles; 1.3.5 Multivector-Fields and Tangent-Valued Forms; 1.4 Jet Spaces; 1.4.1 Intuition Behind a Jet Space; 1.4.2 Definition of a 1-Jet Space; 1.4.3 Connections as Jet Fields; 1.4.4 Definition of a 2-Jet Space; 1.4.5 Higher-Order Jet Spaces; 1.4.6 Jets in Mechanics;1.4.7 Jets and Action Principle; 1.5 Path Integrals: Extending Smooth Geometrical Machinery; 1.5.1 Intuition Behind a Path Integral; 1.5.2 Path Integral History; 1.5.3 Standard Path-Integral Quantization; 1.5.4 Sum over Geometries/Topologies; 1.5.5 TQFT and Stringy Path Integrals; 2 Dynamics of High-Dimensional Nonlinear Systems; 2.1 Mechanical Systems; 2.1.1 Autonomous Lagrangian/Hamiltonian Mechanics; 2.1.2 Non-Autonomous Lagrangian/Hamiltonian Mechanics; 2.1.3 Semi-Riemannian Geometrical Dynamics; 2.1.4 Relativistic and Multi-Time Rheonomic Dynamics; 2.1.5 Geometrical Quantization; 2.2 Physical Field Systems; 2.2.1 n-Categorical Framework; 2.2.2 Lagrangian Field Theory on Fibre Bundles; 2.2.3 Finsler-Lagrangian Field Theory; 2.2.4 Hamiltonian Field Systems: Path-Integral Quantization; 2.2.5 Gauge Fields on Principal Connections; 2.2.6 Modern Geometrodynamics; 2.2.7 Topological Phase Transitions and Hamiltonian Chaos; 2.2.8 Topological Superstring Theory; 2.2.9 Turbulence and Chaos Field Theory; 2.3 Nonlinear Control Systems; 2.3.1 The Basis of Modern Geometrical Control;2.3.2 Geometrical Control of Mechanical Systems;2.3.3 Hamiltonian Optimal Control and Maximum Principle; 2.3.4 Path-Integral Optimal Control of Stochastic Systems; 2.4 Human-Like Biomechanics; 2.4.1 Lie Groups and Symmetries in Biomechanics; 2.4.2 Muscle-Driven Hamiltonian Biomechanics; 2.4.3 Biomechanical Functors; 2.4.4 Biomechanical Topology; 2.5 Neurodynamics; 2.5.1 Microscopic Neurodynamics and Quantum Brain; 2.5.2 Macroscopic Neurodynamics; 2.5.3 Oscillatory Phase Neurodynamics;2.5.4 Neural Path-Integral Model for the Cerebellum; 2.5.5 Intelligent Robot Control; 2.5.6 Brain-Like Control Functor in Biomechanics; 2.5.7 Concurrent and Weak Functorial Machines; 2.5.8 Brain-Mind Functorial Machines; 26 Psycho-Socio-Economic Dynamics; 2.6.1 Force-Field Psychodynamics; 2.6.2 Geometrical Dynamics of Human Crowd; 2.6.3 Dynamical Games on Lie Groups; 2.6.4 Nonlinear Dynamics of Option Pricing; 2.6.5 Command/Control in Human-Robot Interactions; 2.6.6 Nonlinear Dynamics of Complex Nets; 2.6.7 Complex Adaptive Systems: Common Characteristics; 2.6.8 FAM Functors and Real-Life Games; 2.6.9 Riemann-Finsler Approach to Information Geometry; 3 Appendix: Tensors and Functors; 3.1 Elements of Classical Tensor Analysis; 3.1.1 Transformation of Coordinates and Elementary Tensors; 3.1.2 Euclidean Tensors; 3. 1 .3 Tensor Derivatives on Riemannian Manifolds; 3.1.4 Tensor Mechanics in Brief; 3.1.5 The Covariant Force Law in Robotics and Biomechanics; 3.2 Categories and Functors; 3.2.1 Maps; 3.2.2 Categories; 3.2.3 Functors; 3.2.4 Natural Transformations; 3.2.5 Limits and Colimits; 3.2.6 The Adjunction; 3.2.7 ri-Categories; 3.2.8 Abelian Functorial Algebra; References; Index.

This elementary book provides some state-of-the-art research results on broad disciplinary sciences on complex networks. It presents an in-depth study with detailed description of dynamics, controls and applications of complex networks. The contents of this book can be summarized as follows. First, the dynamics of complex networks, for example, the cluster dynamic analysis by using kernel spectral methods, community detection algorithms in bipartite networks, epidemiological modeling with demographics and epidemic spreading on multi-layer networks, are studied. Second, the controls of complex networks are investigated including topics like distributed finite-time cooperative control of multi-agent systems by applying homogenous-degree and Lyapunov methods, composite finite-time containment control for disturbed second-order multi-agent systems, fractional-order observer design of multi-agent systems, chaos control and anticontrol of complex systems via Parrondos game and many more. Third, the applications of complex networks provide some applicable carriers, which show the importance of theories developed in complex networks. In particular, a general model for studying time evolution of transition networks, deflection routing in complex networks, recommender systems for social networks analysis and mining, strategy selection in networked evolutionary games, integration and methods in computational biology, are discussed in detail.

This work represents the third entry of the series of works on "Chaos, Complexity and Leadership". Contents of the book are composed from broad range of chaos, complexity and their applications in multi disciplines. Articles reflect different perspectives in the field of applied nonlinear methods, modeling of data and simulations as well as theoretical achievements of chaos and complex systems. In addition to this, readers are going to find new applications in leadership and management of chaos and complexity theory such as in fields from education to politics. It is completely new and fresh piece of mind for readers who are interested in chaos, complexity and especially leadership.

"Robust Output Feedback H-infinity Control and Filtering for Uncertain Linear Systems" discusses new and meaningful findings on robust output feedback H-infinity control and filtering for uncertain linear systems, presenting a number of useful and less conservative design results based on the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique. Though primarily intended for graduate students in control and filtering, the book can also serve as a valuable reference work for researchers wishing to explore the area of robust H-infinity control and filtering of uncertain systems. Dr. Xiao-Heng Chang is a Professor at the College of Engineering, Bohai University, China.

The competitiveness of firms, regions and countries greatly depends on the generation, dissemination and application of new knowledge. Modern innovation research is challenged by the need to incorporate knowledge generation and dissemination processes into the analysis so as to disentangle the complexity of these dynamic processes. With innovation, however, strong uncertainty, nonlinearities and actor heterogeneity become central factors that are at odds with traditional modeling techniques anchored in equilibrium and homogeneity. This text introduces SKIN (Simulation Knowledge Dynamics in Innovation Networks), an agent-based simulation model that primarily focuses on joint knowledge creation and exchange of knowledge in innovation co-operations and networks. In this context, knowledge is explicitly modeled and not approximated by, for instance, the level of accumulated R&D investment. The SKIN approach supports applications in different domains ranging from sector-based research activities in knowledge-intensive industries to the activities of international research consortia engaged in basic and applied research. Following a general description of the SKIN model, several applications and modifications are presented. Each chapter introduces in detail the structure of the model, the relevant methodological considerations and the analysis of simulation results, while options for empirically validating the models' structure and outcomes are also discussed. The book considers the scope of further applications and outlines prospects for the development of joint modeling strategies.

Evacuating a city is a complex problem that involves issues of governance, preparedness education, warning, information sharing, population dynamics, resilience and recovery. As natural and anthropogenic threats to cities grow, it is an increasingly pressing problem for policy makers and practitioners. The book is the result of a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers in the physical and social sciences to consider how an interdisciplinary approach can help plan for large scale evacuations. It draws on perspectives from physics, mathematics, organisation theory, economics, sociology and education. Importantly it goes beyond disciplinary boundaries and considers how interdisciplinary methods are necessary to approach a complex problem involving human actors and increasingly complex communications and transportation infrastructures. Using real world case studies and modelling the book considers new approaches to evacuation dynamics. It addresses questions of complexity, not only in terms of theory, but examining the latest challenges for cities and emergency responders. Factors such as social media, information quality and visualisation techniques are examined to consider the 'new' dynamics of warning and informing, evacuation and recovery.

This book develops a coherent and quite general theoretical approach to algorithm design for iterative learning control based on the use of operator representations and quadratic optimization concepts including the related ideas of inverse model control and gradient-based design. Using detailed examples taken from linear, discrete and continuous-time systems, the author gives the reader access to theories based on either signal or parameter optimization. Although the two approaches are shown to be related in a formal mathematical sense, the text presents them separately as their relevant algorithm design issues are distinct and give rise to different performance capabilities. Together with algorithm design, the text demonstrates the underlying robustness of the paradigm and also includes new control laws that are capable of incorporating input and output constraints, enable the algorithm to reconfigure systematically in order to meet the requirements of different reference and auxiliary signals and also to support new properties such as spectral annihilation. Iterative Learning Control will interest academics and graduate students working in control who will find it a useful reference to the current status of a powerful and increasingly popular method of control. The depth of background theory and links to practical systems will be of use to engineers responsible for precision repetitive processes.

This volume presents selected aspects of non-integer, or fractional order systems, whose analysis, synthesis and applications have increasingly become a real challenge for various research communities, ranging from science to engineering. The spectrum of applications of the fractional order calculus has incredibly expanded, in fact it would be hard to find a science/engineering-related subject area where the fractional calculus had not been incorporated. The content of the fractional calculus is ranged from pure mathematics to engineering implementations and so is the content of this volume. The volume is subdivided into six parts, reflecting particular aspects of the fractional order calculus. The first part contains a single invited paper on a new formulation of fractional-order descriptor observers for fractional-order descriptor continous LTI systems. The second part provides new elements to the mathematical theory of fractional-order systems. In the third part of this volume, a bunch of new results in approximation, modeling and simulations of fractional-order systems is given. The fourth part presents new solutions to some problems in controllability and control of non-integer order systems, in particular fractional PID-like control. The fifth part analyzes the stability of non-integer order systems and some new results are offered in this important respect, in particular for discrete-time systems. The final, sixth part of this volume presents a spectrum of applications of the noninteger order calculus, ranging from bi-fractional filtering, in particular of electromyographic signals, through the thermal diffusion and advection diffusion processes to the SIEMENS platform implementation. This volume's papers were all subjected to stimulating comments and discussions from the active audience of the RRNR'2014, the 6th Conference on Non-integer Order Calculus and Its Applications that was organized by the Department of Electrical, Control and Computer Engineering, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland.

This book reports on the developments of the bipedal walking robot Lucy. Special about it is that the biped is not actuated with the classical electrical drives but with pleated pneumatic artificial muscles. In an antagonistic setup of such muscles both the torque and the compliance are controllable. From human walking there is evidence that joint compliance plays an important role in energy efficient walking and running. Moreover pneumatic artificial muscles have a high power to weight ratio and can be coupled directly without complex gearing mechanism, which can be beneficial towards legged mechanisms. Additionally, they have the capability of absorbing impact shocks and store and release motion energy. This book gives a complete description of Lucy: the hardware, the electronics and the software. A hybrid simulation program, combining the robot dynamics and muscle/valve thermodynamics, has been written to evaluate control strategies before implementing them in the real biped.

This book presents recent results on positivity and optimization of polynomials in non-commuting variables. Researchers in non-commutative algebraic geometry, control theory, system engineering, optimization, quantum physics and information science will find the unified notation and mixture of algebraic geometry and mathematical programming useful. Theoretical results are matched with algorithmic considerations; several examples and information on how to use NCSOStools open source package to obtain the results provided. Results are presented on detecting the eigenvalue and trace positivity of polynomials in non-commuting variables using Newton chip method and Newton cyclic chip method, relaxations for constrained and unconstrained optimization problems, semidefinite programming formulations of the relaxations and finite convergence of the hierarchies of these relaxations, and the practical efficiency of algorithms.

This treatment of modern topics related to the control of nonlinear systems is a collection of contributions celebrating the work of Professor Henk Nijmeijer and honoring his 60th birthday. It addresses several topics that have been the core of Professor Nijmeijer's work, namely: the control of nonlinear systems, geometric control theory, synchronization, coordinated control, convergent systems and the control of underactuated systems. The book presents recent advances in these areas, contributed by leading international researchers in systems and control. In addition to the theoretical questions treated in the text, particular attention is paid to a number of applications including (mobile) robotics, marine vehicles, neural dynamics and mechanical systems generally. This volume provides a broad picture of the analysis and control of nonlinear systems for scientists and engineers with an interest in the interdisciplinary field of systems and control theory. The reader will benefit from the expert participants' ideas on important open problems with contributions that represent the state of the art in nonlinear control.

These proceedings present the results of the Eleventh International Conference on Dependability and Complex Systems DepCoS-RELCOMEX which took place in a picturesque Brunow Palace in Poland from 27th June to 1st July, 2016. DepCoS-RELCOMEX is a series of international conferences organized annually by Department of Computer Engineering of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology since 2006. The roots of the series go as far back as to the seventies of the previous century - the first RELCOMEX conference took place in 1977 - and now its main aim is to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to dependability problems in theory and engineering practice of complex systems. Complex systems, nowadays most often computer-based and distributed, are built upon a variety of technical, information, software and human resources. The challenges in their design, analysis and maintenance not only originate from the involved technical and organizational structures but also from the complexity of the information processes that must be efficiently executed in a diverse, often hostile operational environment. Traditional methods of reliability evaluation focused only on technical resources are usually insufficient in this context and more innovative, multidisciplinary methods of dependability analysis must be applied. The diversity of the topics which need to be considered is well illustrated by the selection of the submissions in these proceedings with their subjects ranging from mathematical models and design methodologies through software engineering and data security issues up to practical problems in technical, e.g. transportation, systems.

The book is a collection of high-quality peer-reviewed research papers presented at International Conference on Frontiers of Intelligent Computing: Theory and applications (FICTA 2016) held at School of Computer Engineering, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India during 16 - 17 September 2016. The book presents theories, methodologies, new ideas, experiences and applications in all areas of intelligent computing and its applications to various engineering disciplines like computer science, electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering.

The present volume comprises survey articles on various fields of Differential-Algebraic Equations (DAEs) which have widespread applications in controlled dynamical systems, especially in mechanical and electrical engineering and a strong relation to (ordinary) differential equations. The individual chapters provide reviews, presentations of the current state of research and new concepts in - History of DAEs - DAE aspects of mechanical multibody systems - Model reduction of DAEs - Observability for DAEs - Numerical Analysis for DAEs The results are presented in an accessible style, making this book suitable not only for active researchers but also for graduate students (with a good knowledge of the basic principles of DAEs) for self-study.

A unified methodology for categorizing various complex objects is presented in this book. Through probability theory, novel asymptotically minimax criteria suitable for practical applications in imaging and data analysis are examined including the special cases such as the Jensen-Shannon divergence and the probabilistic neural network. An optimal approximate nearest neighbor search algorithm, which allows faster classification of databases is featured. Rough set theory, sequential analysis and granular computing are used to improve performance of the hierarchical classifiers. Practical examples in face identification (including deep neural networks), isolated commands recognition in voice control system and classification of visemes captured by the Kinect depth camera are included. This approach creates fast and accurate search procedures by using exact probability densities of applied dissimilarity measures. This book can be used as a guide for independent study and as supplementary material for a technically oriented graduate course in intelligent systems and data mining. Students and researchers interested in the theoretical and practical aspects of intelligent classification systems will find answers to: - Why conventional implementation of the naive Bayesian approach does not work well in image classification? - How to deal with insufficient performance of hierarchical classification systems? - Is it possible to prevent an exhaustive search of the nearest neighbor in a database?

With this brief, the authors present algorithms for model-free stabilization of unstable dynamic systems. An extremum-seeking algorithm assigns the role of a cost function to the dynamic system's control Lyapunov function (clf) aiming at its minimization. The minimization of the clf drives the clf to zero and achieves asymptotic stabilization. This approach does not rely on, or require knowledge of, the system model. Instead, it employs periodic perturbation signals, along with the clf. The same effect is achieved as by using clf-based feedback laws that profit from modeling knowledge, but in a time-average sense. Rather than use integrals of the systems vector field, we employ Lie-bracket-based (i.e., derivative-based) averaging. The brief contains numerous examples and applications, including examples with unknown control directions and experiments with charged particle accelerators. It is intended for theoretical control engineers and mathematicians, and practitioners working in various industrial areas and in robotics.

This edited volume highlights the scientific contributions of Volker Mehrmann, a leading expert in the area of numerical (linear) algebra, matrix theory, differential-algebraic equations and control theory. These mathematical research areas are strongly related and often occur in the same real-world applications. The main areas where such applications emerge are computational engineering and sciences, but increasingly also social sciences and economics. This book also reflects some of Volker Mehrmann's major career stages. Starting out working in the areas of numerical linear algebra (his first full professorship at TU Chemnitz was in "Numerical Algebra," hence the title of the book) and matrix theory, Volker Mehrmann has made significant contributions to these areas ever since. The highlights of these are discussed in Parts I and II of the present book. Often the development of new algorithms in numerical linear algebra is motivated by problems in system and control theory. These and his later major work on differential-algebraic equations, to which he together with Peter Kunkel made many groundbreaking contributions, are the topic of the chapters in Part III. Besides providing a scientific discussion of Volker Mehrmann's work and its impact on the development of several areas of applied mathematics, the individual chapters stand on their own as reference works for selected topics in the fields of numerical (linear) algebra, matrix theory, differential-algebraic equations and control theory.

This book deals with optimization methods as tools for decision making and control in the presence of model uncertainty. It is oriented to the use of these tools in engineering, specifically in automatic control design with all its components: analysis of dynamical systems, identification problems, and feedback control design. Developments in Model-Based Optimization and Control takes advantage of optimization-based formulations for such classical feedback design objectives as stability, performance and feasibility, afforded by the established body of results and methodologies constituting optimal control theory. It makes particular use of the popular formulation known as predictive control or receding-horizon optimization. The individual contributions in this volume are wide-ranging in subject matter but coordinated within a five-part structure covering material on: * complexity and structure in model predictive control (MPC); * collaborative MPC; * distributed MPC; * optimization-based analysis and design; and * applications to bioprocesses, multivehicle systems or energy management. The various contributions cover a subject spectrum including inverse optimality and more modern decentralized and cooperative formulations of receding-horizon optimal control. Readers will find fourteen chapters dedicated to optimization-based tools for robustness analysis, and decision-making in relation to feedback mechanisms-fault detection, for example-and three chapters putting forward applications where the model-based optimization brings a novel perspective. Developments in Model-Based Optimization and Control is a selection of contributions expanded and updated from the Optimisation-based Control and Estimation workshops held in November 2013 and November 2014. It forms a useful resource for academic researchers and graduate students interested in the state of the art in predictive control. Control engineers working in model-based optimization and control, particularly in its bioprocess applications will also find this collection instructive.

This book shows how the use of S-variables (SVs) in enhancing the range of problems that can be addressed with the already-versatile linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach to control can, in many cases, be put on a more unified, methodical footing. Beginning with the fundamentals of the SV approach, the text shows how the basic idea can be used for each problem (and when it should not be employed at all). The specific adaptations of the method necessitated by each problem are also detailed. The problems dealt with in the book have the common traits that: analytic closed-form solutions are not available; and LMIs can be applied to produce numerical solutions with a certain amount of conservatism. Typical examples are robustness analysis of linear systems affected by parametric uncertainties and the synthesis of a linear controller satisfying multiple, often conflicting, design specifications. For problems in which LMI methods produce conservative results, the SV approach is shown to achieve greater accuracy. The authors emphasize the simplicity and easy comprehensibility of the SV approach and show how it can be implemented in programs without difficulty so that its power becomes readily apparent. The S-variable Approach to LMI-based Robust Control is a useful reference for academic control researchers, applied mathematicians and graduate students interested in LMI methods and convex optimization and will also be of considerable assistance to practising control engineers faced with problems of conservatism in their systems and controllers.

This book contains an evidence-based pedagogic guide to enable any motivated teaching/training professional to be able to teach effectively and creatively. It firstly summarises the extensive research field on human psychological functioning relating to learning and how this can be fully utilised in the design and facilitation of quality learning experiences. It then demonstrates what creativity actually 'looks like' in terms of teaching practices, modelling the underpinning processes of creative learning design and how to apply these in lesson planning. The book, having established an evidence-based and pedagogically driven approach to creative learning design, extensively focuses on key challenges facing teaching professionals today. These include utilising information technologies in blended learning formats, differentiating instruction, and developing self-directed learners who can think well. The main purpose of the book is to demystify what it means to teach creatively, explicitly demonstrating the principles of good pedagogic design and communication strategies that underpin such activity. The message is clear - creative teaching competence is both a highly useful and a learnable capability.