[agents] call for proposals: Agents and Multiagent Systems Schools

[Ana Bazzan]

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS AGENTS and MULTIAGENT SYSTEMS SCHOOLS
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*** deadline: January 28th 2018 ***

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 *January 28th, 2018*.  Proposals will undergo an 
evaluation and selection process. Please send your proposals in pdf or 
plain text form to the following email address: 
ifaamasagentschools at gmail.com. 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,

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