History and Perspectives – Starting 25 years ago, in 1980, International Fracture Mechanics Summer Schools (IFMASS) had been organized eight times, the last one in 2003. Topical monograph was published in Serbian after first seven Schools under the School title, e.g. "Fracture Mechanics of Weldments" (IFMASS 3), "The Application of Fracture Mechanics to Life Estimation of Power Plant Components" (IFMASS 5), published also in English by EMAS. The IFMASS 8 monograph "From Fracture Mechanics to Structural Integrity Assessment" has been published in English. It is available at web site www.divk.org.yu.

The number of participants was from 62 in the first School, up to 145 in IFMASS 5, and 107 in IFMASS 8. The IFMASS lecturers staff included more than 70 well known world experts, e.g.: P. Albrecht, M. Burdekin, D. Francois, H. Hoffmeister, I. Hrivnak, V. Ivanova, J. Landes , J. Joyce, H. Mac Henry, A. Mazur, G. Pluvinage, J. Radon, M. Ratwani, D. Read, K. H. Schwalbe, T. Siewert, R. Stephens, V. Troshchenko, M. Wnuk, including many lecturers from former Yugoslavia.

Two basic reasons to organize the Ninth International Fracture Mechanics Summer School (IFMASS 9) are:
- After successful IFMASS 8, organized by DIVK in 2003 in Belgrade (Serbia) with 25 presented lectures and participants from Serbia & Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey and Albania, the extension of the School in other countries of South-East Europe (SEE) will enable regular and fruitful gathering of the experts in Structural Integrity of this region.
- In the SEE extended region, the annual organisation of IFMASS could attract significant number of new young participants and enable regional cooperation, these days strongly supported by the European Union.

New development during IFMASS had been considered by WORKSHOP. This time, Workshop in IFMASS 9
New Trends in Fracture Mechanics Applications
includes nanomaterials, numerical analysis and welded structures, moderated by A. Shelev, H. Walter, G. Pluvinage, and A. Sedmak.

Lecturers and Schedule – The lecturers from Serbia are mostly in the lists of experienced lecturers from former IFMASS's: Prof. Dr. Katarina Gerić, Dr. Vencislav Grabulov, Dr. Miodrag Kirić, Prof. Dr. Taško Manevski. Prof. Dr. Nenad Radović, Dr. Marko Rakin, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Sedmak, Prof. Dr. Stojan Sedmak, Prof. Dr. Vera Šijački Žeravčić, Prof. Dr. Dragoslav Šumarac, Dr. Milorad Zrilić
The names in the lecturers list from Bulgaria are well known in materials science, welding and fracture mechanics: Prof. Dr. Donka Angelova, Prof. Dr. Angel Baltov, Dr. D. Dontchev, Prof. Dr. Kliment Hadjov, Prof. Dr. Nikolay Lolov, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Schelev, Prof. Dr. Stefan Vodenicharov.

The list of lecturers is completed by invited experts in the field from France: Prof. Dr. Guy Pluvinage; Germany: Prof. Dr. Bilal Dogan, Prof. Dr. Blagoj Petrovski, Prof. Dr. Bernd Michel, Dr. Hans Walter; Romania: Dr. Liviu Marşavina, Prof. Dr. D. Constantinescu; Ukraine: Dr. I. Orynyak; Macedonia: G. Adžiev

IFMASS9 Schedule

IFMASS 9 will be held in Zlatni Piastci (Golden Sand) at the Black Sea coast, 20 km from Varna, the third biggest city in Bulgaria.

Varna is 470 km from Sofia and 530 km from the border with Serbia. Good communication by air (international airport), rail road (daily trains Belgrade – Varna) and road, (daily bus Belgrade – Varna). Participants also can use very convenient arrangement offered by ARGUS TOURS, Belgrade, Balkanska 51, tel. +381 11 361 76 60

Accommodation
For participants from Serbia the arrangement from 16th to 27th September is available with ARGUS TOURS. The arrangement in Astoria Beach Hotel (****) includes 9 overnights in double bedroom, from 17th to 25th September, at the price of 115 € and bus transfer Belgrade – Hotel in Golden Sand and back for 3.999,00 dinars (about 50 €). The other participants can also use the accommodation and meals at the same price by ARGUS TOURS or by its Bulgarian partner AQUAMARINE HOLDING-BULGARIAN VIP TOURS. We would be happy to assist you in finding suitable hotel accommodation.

Registration
Registration fee is 80 Euro, for DIVK members 60 Euro and 40 for young researchers. The registration fee can be paid at the reception desk of the Conference on the opening day.

Contacts
Mr. Ljubica Milović, IFMASS 9 secretary
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Tel. +381 63 8124965 e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
DIVK Office, Bulevar voj. Mišića 43, room 258, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Tel. Fax. +381 11 369 2772, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and on e-mail addresses: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it