The IUTAM Symposium on Boundary-Layer Separation, suggested by the UK National Committee of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and supported by the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, was held at
University College London on August 26-28, 1986. The proposed theme and scope of the Symposium were designed to help to bring about the necessary interaction between experimentalists, computationalists and theoreticians for
the furthering of understanding in this challenging subject. The talks and discussions were aimed at representing the very wide range and application of separating-flow phenomena, which often substantially affect the whole of
fluid dynamics at medium to large Reynolds numbers, covering in particular both laminar and turbulent flow, steady or unsteady, two- or three-dimensional, small­ or large-scale, incompressible or compressible, external or
internal, from the experimental, computational and theoretical standpoints. It was intended that about 80 scientists would participate in the Symposium, with about 25 talks being delivered, to which poster sessions with 8
contributions were added subsequently. All the speakers and poster presenters were selected by the scientific committee, although two late replacements of speakers were required. Fruitful discussions, well led by the session
chairmen, took place formally after each talk and after the poster sessions and informally on other occasions including the social events. The present proceedings of the Symposium appear to reflect much of the current state of
experimental, computational and theoretical work and progress in boundary-layer separation. We hope that they provide also ideas, questions and stimulation, in addition to major recent developments.