• Lectures: HS 1015, KG I, Platz der Universität 3, 79098 Freiburg (sketch, gmaps link).
• Welcome reception: Gaststätte Waldsee, Waldseestraße 84, 79117 Freiburg (gmaps link).
• Dinner: Gasthaus zum Roten Bären, Oberlinden 12, 79098 Freiburg (gmaps link).

Lecture Slides

• Introduction (Moritz Diehl)
• Lecture 1 - Nonlinear MPC: Introduction and closed-loop properties (James B. Rawlings)
• Lecture 2 - Nonlinear Optimization and Numerical Optimal Control Part 1 and Part 2 (Moritz Diehl). Chapter 8 of MPC-Book.
• Lecture 3 - Nonlinear MPC: Inherent robustness and discrete actuators (James B. Rawlings)
• Lecture 4 - Robust optimization (Moritz Diehl)
• Lecture 5 - Multistage robust MPC (Sergio Lucia)
• Lecture 6 - Introduction to acados and research spotlight (Jonathan Frey), additional slides on fast zoRO implementation in acados
• Lecture 7 - Minmax MPC of linear models: Fundamental tools (James B. Rawlings)
• Lecture 8 - Optimization with CasADi and Modelica/FMI models (Joel Andersson)
• Lecture 9 - Robust dynamic optimization (Florian Messerer)
• Lecture 10 - Optimal feedback solutions to the disturbance attenuation regulator (James B. Rawlings)
• Lecture 11 - Learning robust NMPC policies (Sergio Lucia)
• Lecture 12 - Robust MPC exploiting monotonicity (Moritz Heinlein)
• Lecture 13 - Probabilistic validation (Sergio Lucia)
• Lecture 14 - MPC solutions and stability of the disturbance attenuation regulator (James B. Rawlings)

Exercises

Background Material

• Rawlings, J. B., Mayne D. Q., Diehl, M., Model Predictive Control. Nobhill Publishing, 2017 (free PDF here)
• Ben-Tal, A., El Ghaoui, L., Nemirovski, A., Robust Optimization. Princeton University Press, 2009 (free PDF here)
•  Kouvaritakis, B., Cannon, M., Model Predictive Control. Classical, Robust and Stochastic. Springer, 2016.
• Houska, B., Villanueva, M.E., Robust Optimization for MPC. In: Raković, S., Levine, W. (eds) Handbook of Model Predictive Control. Birkhäuser, 2019 (free PDF here)
• Leyffer, S., Menickelly, M., Munson T., Vanaret, C., Wild, S.M., A Survey of Nonlinear Robust Optimization.  INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research, 58(2). 2020. (Preprint)
• Online course on Numerical Optimal Control

Software

For the exercises, we will use Python with CasADi and acados.

To set-up your Python environment, you can run:

pip install numpy scipy matplotlib casadi 

To install acados, follow the instructions at: https://docs.acados.org/installation/index.html.

For the acados Python interface, see: https://docs.acados.org/python_interface/index.html.

To Windows users, we recommend to install acados via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).

Mensa & MensaCard 

The registration fee includes a MensaCard, which can be used to pay at all university canteens and cafés (operated by SWFR). With the card, you pay employee prices.

In the vicinity of the lecture hall, there are Mensa Rempartstraße, Café Libresso, and Café Senkrecht. Mensa Institutsviertel (~1.5 km from the lecture hall) also offers dinner from 5 to 7pm.

The card is preloaded with 13 EUR. The standard lunch option (Essen 1, 2, 3) costs 5.55 EUR. More money can be added at machines in e.g. Mensa Rempartstraße.

You can return the card at any SWFR Service Point (e.g. in Mensa Rempartstraße), in order to receive the remaining money as well as the 7 EUR deposit.

Some Freiburg Recommendations by Leonard

• Freiburger Münster: Beautiful Gothic cathedral in the heart of the old town. For a small fee, it is also possible to climb the stairs of the tower.
• Schlossberg & Kanonenplatz: A forested hill right next to the old town. A small hike will lead you to panoramic views over Freiburg, with a viewpoint tower on top of the Schlossberg. An even smaller hike will take you to the Kanonenplatz, which is a classic sunset spot with a nice view over Freiburg already. There is also a funicular that will take you to restaurant Dattler.  
• Schauinsland: The "city-mountain" of Freiburg. It offers a great view over Freiburg and its surroundings, on clear days you can even see the alps. Usually people would take between half a day and one day of time for a trip there, so this is recommendable if you stay over the weekend, and the weather is sufficiently nice. The foot of the mountain is well-reachable by public transport and from there you can also use a cable car to reach the top.
• Restaurants / Bars:
  • Feierling: Nice microbrewery with food, also offers to sit in its Biergarten next to the main building.
  • Martinsbräu: Another nice microbrewery with food.
  • Kastaniengarten: Nice Biergarten (hence, preferably visit at good weather) at the foot of the Schlossberg.
  • One Trick Pony: Awesome cocktail bar. The people there know their work, but it is more expensive than usual.
  • O'Kellys / Oscar Wilde's: Good Irish Pubs
  • Other generally good bars: Schlappen, Schwarzer Kater, Alter Simon, Uni Café.
  • Markthalle: The "market hall" offers a wide variety of foods.
  • Unkai: Asia restaurant, in particular offering nice all-you-can-eat sushi. There is one located in the central city, and one to the north-west of Freiburg.
  • Dattler: Nice restaurant located on the Schlossberg.
  • Kartoffelhaus: Nice potato-themed restaurant.
  • Bar Denia: Good restaurant offering tapas.
  • Goldener Anker: Good traditional german food.

Registration: within August 15, 2025, until the limit of 60 participants is reached (first come, first served). The registration is recorded after the fee has been transferred and received.

Participation fee: 380 EUR. The fee includes coffee breaks, one lunch, a welcome reception and a dinner with the participants. 

Cancellation policy: no refund possible.

Please note that your registration will be considered complete only after we have received your payment. You will receive bank transfer details via email shortly after submitting your registration form. As registrations are processed manually, please allow some time before receiving your confirmation email.

We gratefully acknowledge funding by the DFG in the research cluster PAK 977/1 on Robust MPC.