Decomposition properties of strict Mittag-Leffler modules. (Q876352)

Let \(T\) be a (not necessarily unitary) ring with enough idempotents and \(T\)-Mod the category of (unitary) left \(T\)-modules. A homomorphism \(f\colon M\to N\) is called locally split whenever, for any finitely generated submodule \(U\) of \(M\), there exists a \(g\colon N\to M\) such that \((x)fgf=(x)f\) for all \(x\in U\). The modules \(Q\) for which every epimorphism \(f\colon M\to Q\) is locally split are called locally projective, and they are also known as flat strict Mittag-Leffler modules. In the paper under review, the authors prove a result which is reminiscent of the well-known characterization of left Noetherian rings in terms of injective modules due to \textit{C. Faith} and \textit{E. A. Walker} [J. Algebra 5, 203-221 (1967; Zbl 0173.03203)]. This result is the following: the ring \(T\) is left perfect if and only if there exists an infinite cardinal number \(\lambda\) such that every locally projective unitary left \(T\)-module is a direct sum of \(\lambda\)-generated modules.