CFP Agents and Multiagent Systems Schools (IFAAMAS)

[Birna van Riemsdijk]

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS AGENTS and MULTIAGENT SYSTEMS SCHOOLS
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*** deadline: February 15th 2015 ***

The International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (IFAAMAS) invites proposals for Agent and Multiagent System Schools from countries or regions that have been traditionally under-represented in the AAMAS conference (International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems). For more information on the conference series, please look at www.aamas-conference.org

The intent is to encourage further participation of researchers from such countries in AAMAS, and to foster research in the field of agent and multiagent systems. Attendees at such schools can be from academia (typically graduate students but also faculty looking to enter the field) or from industry and government.

WHAT IS IFAAMAS?

IFAAMAS is the International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (http://ifaamas.org/). It is a legally registered not-for-profit organisation responsible for organising the AAMAS conference series. Broadly, the aims of IFAAMAS are to promote research into and awareness of agent and multiagent systems, primarily by means of its involvement in organising the AAMAS conferences, but also by providing student travel scholarships, and the like.

WHAT IS IFAAMAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS INITIATIVE?

A number of advanced schools on agent systems have been held throughout the world since 1999 (the European Agent Systems Summer School (EASSS) in Europe, the Americas schools, the Pacific Rim region school). While these events have been enormously successful, they have primarily been focussed around regions and countries that already have substantial agent research communities, and that in addition have the resources to travel to international conferences. For this reason, IFAAMAS has initiated similar teaching events in regions that are not so well represented in terms of established research groups, and that do not have easy access to funds for international travel.

WHAT KIND OF EVENTS ARE WE AIMING AT?

IFAAMAS will consider any reasonable proposal for a training event, but typically 3 to 5 days of intensive courses (or tutorials), presented by internationally or regionally recognised speakers, on a variety of topics in the agent systems area, with some 5-15 courses, each of 1/2 day to a day duration. The aim is usually to provide both introductory and more advanced courses and in addition to provide a "balanced curriculum" insofar as this is possible. Please do not feel constrained by this model, however; IFAAMAS will consider any reasonable structure, provided a justification is given.

WHAT SUPPORT WILL BE AVAILABLE?

IFAAMAS will provide a grant to subsidize the agent school so as to make it affordable to the participants, for example, by providing travel support for students to attend the school. In the past, levels of financial support have been in the form of a (roughly $5000) grant. Most importantly, the amount and use of requested funding should be motivated in light of the aims of this call for proposals and what is needed to run a successful school. 

WHICH REGIONS/COUNTRIES ARE ELIGIBLE?

Broadly, regions/countries that (i) do not have major established research groups in the agents area, and (ii) do not have easy access to funds for international travel. 

HOW DO I APPLY?

Proposal writers are encouraged to submit proposals as soon as possible but no later than *February 15th, 2015*.  Proposals will undergo an evaluation and selection process. Please send your proposals in pdf or plain text form to Birna van Riemsdijk (m.b.vanriemsdijk at tudelft.nl). Proposals should include the following information:

- Expected value to the community

* What is the "catchment area" for your school, i.e., which countries/regions might you expect students from, and what proportion will be from under-represented countries?

* What is the potential for (further) developing agent research in the region where you plan to hold your school? For example, do you see a growing interest in agents and multiagent systems and could the school help to create momentum for its (further) development?

* How many students might be expected to attend?

* How do you plan to use the requested funds to support the aims of this call for proposals?

- Programme and organization

* Who are the organizers of the school?

* What structure do you envisage the event having? How many courses/lecturers and on which topics? How many parallel sessions (if any)? Not all lecturers need be international lecturers; including some local/regional speakers can sometimes be beneficial.

* When will the school be held, and what will be the duration of the school? (Please provide multiple possibilities). Is it colocated with other events?

* What is the location of the school and will this be easily accessible to lecturers and students? 

- Finances

* What amount of funding do you request?

* Is there potential for other support (sponsorship) for the school beyond IFAAMAS? For instance, would some universities, industry, or the government potentially support the school?

* Can you give a *preliminary* breakdown of costs? Note that a detailed breakdown is not necessary at this stage.

* Will affordable student accommodation be available? If so, how many rooms and how much will they cost?



IFAAMAS Education and Training Subcommittee,

M. Birna van Riemsdijk, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands (chair)
Ana Bazzan, UFRGS, Brazil
Sascha Ossowski, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain