The joint meetings of the European Software Engineering Conference (ESEC) and the ACM SIGSOFT Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering (FSE) are an internationally renowned forum for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, experiences, and challenges in the field of software engineering. Held once every two years, ESEC/FSE brings together experts from academia and industry to exchange the latest research results, the state of the art, and the state of the practice.

This 5th ESEC/FSE is a 5 day long event featuring 6 workshops, 8 tutorials, a doctoral symposium, 3 keynote talks (including as usual the ACM SIGSOFT Outstanding Research Award keynote), 8 research tool demonstrations, and 32 technical paper presentations in the main conference. Topics covered showcase the diversity and breadth of software engineering and its applications: software evolution, requirements, modeling, specification, verification, testing, middleware, web services, configuration management, product lines, components, patterns, aspects, etc. ESEC/FSE'05 will provide ample opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, discuss results, and start collaborations. Student participation is especially encouraged through a doctoral symposium with free registration, the SIGSOFT conference attendance programme, and the availability of inexpensive rooms at the student residence.

ESEC/FSE'05 takes place in Lisbon, a city with a rich and eventful history. According to legend, it was founded by Ulysses; Romans and Moors dwelled here for centuries; in the 15th century, it was the starting point for several of the sea voyages of the Discoveries Age that brought East and West closer together; it hosted the European Capital of Culture in 1994, a World Exhibition in 1998 and the UEFA Cup in 2004. All these and many other events left their mark, shaping Lisbon into a city that displays old and new architectural, gastronomical and cultural influences.

We hope you are able to attend ESEC/FSE'05 and experience the excitement and diversity of the technical programme and of the hosting city. The success of a scientific meeting depends on the intellectual and social interactions contributed by its participants. We are therefore looking forward to welcoming you in Lisbon in September!