Micro-optical elements are ideal components for building compact optoelectronic systems. Typical elements are refractive and diffractive microlenses, Dammann gratings, optimized phase elements, and polarizers. Modern microfabrication technology enables the manufacturing of almost any structure shape including asymmetric aspherics, which provides all degrees of freedom for design. Besides the theoretical background and overview of current technology, system concepts will be discussed. In addition, selected applications will be presented including diffusers for illumination, collimation of high-power laser diode arrays, hybrid (refractive / diffractive) achromats, array generators, Optical MEMS, photonic crystal waveguides. The participants will be introduced in different types of diffractive and refractive micro-optical elements. They will learn about their potential and they will get an idea of the suitable design tools.