On 23–27 March 1981, an IAEA Technical Committee and Workshop was convened in Erice to critically assess the so-called alternative fusion concepts. There were 38 participants from 12 countries at the Meeting, which partly coincided in time with the 5th Course of the Erice International School of Fusion Reactor Technology, dedicated to "Unconventional Approaches to Fusion". This made it possible for the participants of the Course to attend the IAEA Workshop and contribute to the discussions.