What is FME?

Formal Methods Europe (FME) is an organisation with the mission of promoting and supporting the industrial use of formal methods for computer systems development. It is not allied to any single organisation or group of organisations. Its members come from a mix of industrial, academic, and government bodies.

Welcome to the web site of Formal Methods Europe!

Introduction

Welcome to the web pages of FME, a worldwide association bringing together researchers and practitioners in formal methods developing computing systems and software. Formal methods differ from many software engineering techniques in that they stress the importance of a rigorous semantic basis for the tools and notations used. Such sound foundations permit the analysis of computing system designs to a depth that is otherwise impossible to achieve.

FME's aim is to encourage formal methods research and application. The association's members are drawn equally from academic institutes and commercial companies. Our activities include the dissemination of research findings and industrial experience though our symposia and sponsored events; the development of information resources for educators; and a networking function for commercial practitioners through ForTIA, the formal techniques industry association.

On these pages you will find information about formal methods and about FME, our events and activities. Membership of FME is open to anyone willing to help the association achieve its aims and is free of charge. If you have any comments or suggestions about this website or its contents, please contact the webmaster.

History

Before its incorporation as an independent legal entity on 8 May 1998, FME had enjoyed a ten-year history. Its origins were in VDM-Europe, a group of enthusiasts who sought to stimulate the interest in the formal method VDM in the mid 1980s. A first symposium (VDM’87) was organized in Brussels, Belgium. At that time there was a substantial financial dependence on the European Union. In 1992 the scope was broadened to cover formal methods in general: Formal Methods Europe was born. In 1997 it became clear that, in order to better serve the needs of the formal methods community and to be able to take up a more formal role as a partner in e.g. contracts, it would be necessary to become an independent legal entity. This led to the establishment of Formal Methods Europe as an association under Dutch law on 8 May 1998.

http://www.fmeurope.org/