Optical Metrology is a rapidly expanding field i'n both its scientific foundations and technological developments, being of major concern to measurements, quality control, non-destructive tes­ ting and in fundamental research. In order to define the state-of-the-art, and to evaluate pre­ sent accomplishments, whilst giving an appraisal of how each of the particular topics will evolve the Optical Metrology-anAdvancedStudy Institute was organized with a concourse of the world's acknowledged experts. Thus, the Institute provided a forum for tutorial reviews blended with topics of current research in the form of a progressive and comprehensive presentation of recent promising developments, leading techniques and instrumentation in incoherent and coherent optics for Metrology, Sensing and Control in Science, Industry and Biomedici­ ne. Optical Metrology is a very broad field which is highly interdisciplinary in its applications, and in its scientific and technolo­ gical background. It is related to such diverse disciplines as physi­ cal and chemical sciences, engineering, electronics, computer scien­ ces, biological sciences and theoretical sciences, such as statistics. Although there was an emphasis on photomechanics and industri­ al applications, a marked diversity was reflected in the different background and interests of the participants. The vitality and viabi­ lity of the discipline was enhanced not only by the encouraging number of young scientists and industrialists participating and authoring, but also by the remarkably promising prospects found in x the practical applications supported by advanced electronic hybridi­ zation.