This course provides a concise yet thorough introduction to the foundational concepts of group theory, topology, and manifolds, tailored for learners who seek a robust understanding of these mathematical structures. It emphasises the core principles, essential techniques, and key results that form the backbone of modern applications in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and quantum computing. The course strikes a balance between theoretical rigour and practical relevance, ensuring that participants gain both deep insights and the ability to connect abstract ideas to real-world problems.
In addition, this course serves as an essential prerequisite for anyone planning to explore advanced topics in Lie Groups. It introduces and develops the critical foundational notions that are indispensable for a meaningful engagement with Lie theory, including group actions, topological spaces, and smooth manifolds. Mastery of these concepts will provide a seamless transition into the study of continuous symmetries and their applications across physics, geometry, and computational sciences.