Effective single- or few-electron methods based on the electron density or density matrix are often the methods of choice for the calculation of the electronic structure and properties of molecular systems. Some of them are well-developed and can be used to obtain a reasonably accurate result also for larger systems.

In recent years there has been interest in making these methods more accurate and in applying or extending variants of these methods to open quantum systems and to time-dependent phenomena. While a quantum-mechanical description of the electronic properties alone is already a formidable task, making the electronic system an open quantum system by inclusion of effects such as nuclear motion, time-dependent external interactions, or coupling to other degrees of freedom that are not explicitly treated, poses new challenges that want to be overcome.

The workshop gathers developers of a variety of electron density-related approaches together to name and discuss these problems. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical challenges and on comparing the advantages and limitations of the selected methods. Next to scientists working on open systems, also some experts working on selected aspects of the theory of closed systems are invited to broaden the range of ideas.