R E Q U E S T   F O R   D A T A :                    +--------------------+
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ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND TEACHING        | PLEASE DISTRIBUTE! |
ON AGENT-BASED COMPUTING IN EUROPE                   |                    |
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This Request For Data is an AgentLink effort, with the purpose to
evaluate and improve the current situation in training and teaching on
agent-based computing in Europe, both in academic and industrial
environments.  AgentLink --- the ESPRIT Network of Excellence for
Agent-based Computing --- is a coordinating organization for research
and development activities in the area of agent-based computer systems
funded by the European Commission. As such, AgentLink supports a range
of activities aimed at raising the profile, quality, and industrial
relevance of agent systems in Europe. (For further details, please
visit the AgentLink homepage at http://www.AgentLink.org/ ).

The answers will be compiled and evaluated. The results of evaluation
will be made public as an AgentLink report, and used as a basis for
establishing a training and teaching material database and developing
recommendations for curricula on agent-based computing.

People from both academia and industry --- in Europe, US, and Asia/
Pacific Rim --- are asked for filling the subsequent brief
questionnaire.  Detailed replies are much appreciated, although
partially filled questionnaires are also of help. Please distribute
this Request for Data to other people from academia and industry who
might be able to contribute! The Request for Data is also available
via the admin/documents page of the AgentLink WWW site.

Filled questionnaires should be sent not later than

        December 15, 1998

via email (preferably) or hard copy to

        Gerhard Weiss
        Institut fuer Informatik
        Technische Universitaet Muenchen
        D-80290 Muenchen, Germany
        weissg@informatik.tu-muenchen.de

Feel free to contact Gerhard Weiss if you have any questions concerning
this Request for Data.

Thank you very much in advance for your efforts!

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Q u e s t i o n n a i r e

Please answer the following questions as detailed as possible
(although partially filled questionnaires are also welcome), 
and forward this questionnaire to other people inside and
outside your organization who might be able to contribute.

1. Your full address (name, organization, telephone, fax, email)?

2. If your organization is a university/academic organization:

   2.1. How many students study computer science at your organization?
   2.2. What department/chair/group do you belong to? (Please answer
        the following questions w.r.t. your department/chair/group,
        and forward this Request for Data to other parts of your
        organization.)
   2.3. For each agent-related training and teaching activity (e.g.,
        course, seminar, project) offered by people associated
        with your department/chair/group: 
         - Title? 
         - Lecturer (contact information, esp. name and email)? 
         - Duration and hours per week? 
         - Contents (esp. main topics treated)? 
         - Literature recommended to students?
         - Part of a regular curriculum? 
         - Offered by regular members of staff or by other people 
           (e.g., researchers on fixed term contracts or PhD students)? 
         - Regularly offered? 
         - Status (past, ongoing, planned)? 
         - Average number and education level (e.g., undergraduate, 
           graduate, or PhD) of participating students? 
         - IMPORTANT: Is the material used public (e.g., available
           via WWW)?
   2.4. How many (i) master, (ii) diploma, and (iii) PhD theses, 
        on the average per year, are concerned with agent-related topics 
        at your department/chair/group? 
   2.5. Do you think there is a need for offering (further) agent-related 
        training and teaching activities at your organization/department/
        chair/group, or at universities/academic organizations in general?
        Describe the activities that you recommend or would like to see.

3. If your organization is an industrial/commercial organization:

   3.1. How many employees work at your organization?
   3.2. What department/section/group do you belong to? (Please answer
        the following questions w.r.t. your department/section/group,
        and forward this Request for Data to other parts of your
        organization.)
   3.3. For each agent-related project, both research and application, 
        in which your department/section/group is involved:
        - A one-sentence project description? 
        - Methods and techniques of agent-based computing applied
          or investigated in this project? 
        - Number of people involved? 
        - Status (past, ongoing, planned) and duration? 
   3.4. For each agent-related course and seminar in which people 
        working at your department/section/group have participated:
        - Title? 
        - Offered by? 
        - Duration? 
   3.5. Do you think there is a need for (further) agent-related training
        in your department/section/group, or in industry in general? 
        Describe the training activities that you recommend or would like 
        to see.
        
4. Any other comments?

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