Noncommutative Geometry is one of the most deep and vital research subjects of present-day Mathematics. Its development, mainly due to Alain Connes, is providing an increasing number of applications and deeper insights for instance in Foliations, K-Theory, Index Theory, Number Theory but also in Quantum Physics of elementary particles. The purpose of the Summer School in Martina Franca was to offer a fresh invitation to the subject and closely related topics; the contributions in this volume include the four main lectures, cover advanced developments and are delivered by prominent specialists.

Cyclic Cohomology, Noncommutative Geometry and Quantum Group Symmetries.- Cyclic Theory and the Bivariant Chern-Connes Character.- Group C*-Algebras and K-Theory.- Geometric and Analytic Properties of Groups.- More Lectures on Algebraic Quantum Field Theory.