Since 2001, the Russian Academy of Sciences (mathematical section), the Steklov Mathematical Institute, the Moscow Depatment for Education and the Moscow Center for Continuous Mathematical Education organize a summer school, unique in its choice of professors and participants.

During two weeks around a hundred students (from the last two years of high-school or from the first two years of university) take part in 70-80 lectures and seminars. The classes are longer than ordinary school lessons, but shorter than university lectures: they take exactly 74 minutes each. Despite the fact that sometimes the weather is very hot, some students take part in 3-4 classes per day. The words «Contemporary Mathematics» in the title are not an exaggeration, which is confirmed by the programs of the previous schools.

Among the professors of the school are several of the leading mathematicians of the country, V.I.Arnold, D.V.Anosov, , A.A.Kirillov, S.P.Novikov, A.B.Sossinsky, V.M.Tikhomirov, A.G.Khovanskij, M.A.Tsfasman, V.A.Uspensky, V.A.Vassiliev and yesterday's and today's students, relatively recently having started their scientific path (A.Braverman, A.Bufetov, V.Kleptsyn, A.Kuznetsov). By the way, due to the total freedom of the participants to choose the courses, experienced mathematicians must sometimes face serious competition from their younger colleagues. The Organizing Committee often had to correct the schedule of the courses so as to give the participants (as well as the teachers) the opportunity to visit the courses of their choice.

The list of students is also outstanding. Many of them have gone through the toughest national and international competitions, others are invited by recommendations of leading teachers and scientific advisors.