Information theory studies the mathematical foundations of compression and digital data transmission. Originally proposed by Claude Shannon in 1948, information theory not only establishes the fundamental limits of storage and communication but also studies the codes that achieve these limits.

Codes are data processing methods to reduce the probability of error for compressing an information source, and for transmitting information through a communication channel. Information theory and coding have had a great impact on society in recent decades, facilitating the development of many applications in the digital information era: ZIP files, MP3 or JPG compression, ADSL, compact disc, mobile or satellite communication.

Thus, the objectives of this set of lectures are exploring the basic concepts of information theory and coding, familiarizing with the mathematical models of information sources and channels, understanding the proof methodologies of the fundamental limits of source compression and data transmission, as well as the structure and operational meaning of codes.

And all of this will be taught by Albert Guillén, an ICREA Research Professor in our Department and an Adjunct Researcher at the University of Cambridge.