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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Dear AI
colleague,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">if your
University/R&D center/company has strong AI research
and educational activities, it is welcomed to apply to
join the new International AI Doctoral Academy (AIDA)
MoU <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">covering
the period 2026-2030.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Given
the ultra-fast AI development, I think that all AI
institutions (Universities, R&D centers and
companies) cannot continue ‘business as usual’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">They
must cooperate to create a critical mass and heavily
impact both AI research and education. As a result, we
have seen a great interest from AI institutions
worldwide to join the new AIDA MoU (2026-2030). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">As you
can see in the attached AIDA activity highlights for the
period 2022-2025 (in ‘AIDA at a glance’),<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA
succeeded in creating such a critical mass created an
international brand name in AIDA education, and
reskilling/upskilling/training/secondments. </span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA has
had an excellent benefit/cost record. For the long list
of its activities, it only received minimal financial
support from EU in the period 2022-2024. It was
technically and financially self-sustained in the past
15 months. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I firmly
believe that AIDA can become an international reference
point in AI education:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">to use AI education and
research in upholding scientific/democratic/social
values and international cooperation <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">to strengthen its
presence/activities and expand internationally for
promoting these values worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">A
summary of the ambitious AIDA plans for 2026-2030 is
attached at the end of this message.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I
would like to stress the AIDA initiative to create a
global University education ‘AI Curriculum’, in
cooperation with 5 IEEE societies (in progress).<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The
attached new AIDA MoU has been drafted by the current
AIDA Coordinator (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki).
It has been discussed in the AIDA Management Board and <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">it is
now sent to strong AI institutions worldwide for
internal review and statement of interest to
participate in the new AIDA MoU (2026-2030). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">In order
to ensure AIDA financial sustainability, an annual
membership fee of around 2700 Euros per AIDA Member is
foreseen. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The
exact fee level may be lower, if other AIDA funding
sources are found as detailed in the annual budget to be
approved by the AIDA General Assembly each October. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If there
is an interest in joining AIDA, please:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">Send the documents <a
href="https://www.i-aida.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Multiparty-AIDA-MoU-v3.8.1-short.pdf"
moz-do-not-send="true">new AIDA MoU 2026-2030</a>,
and <a
href="https://www.i-aida.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AIDA-membership-2026-2030-application-form-v2.0.docx"
moz-do-not-send="true">AIDA membership 2026-2030
application form</a> asap to your administration for
review and possible approval. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">Once you get a positive reply
from your administration, please send the filled AIDA
application form to the AIDA chair Ioannis Pitas <a
href="mailto:pitas@csd.auth.gr"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">pitas@csd.auth.gr</a>
with cc to the <a
href="mailto:secretariat@i-aida.org"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">secretariat@i-aida.org</a>
<b>by the 27th February 2026</b>. </span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you
need extra time for internal decision-making, let us
know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">You may
want to forward the attached AIDA highlight record and
AIDA plans to your administration for decision making. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sincerely
yours<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Ioannis
Pitas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA
Chair, </span><a
href="https://scholar.google.gr/citations?user=lWmGADwAAAAJ&hl=en"
moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">https://scholar.google.gr/citations?user=lWmGADwAAAAJ&hl=en</span></a><span
lang="EL" style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Post
scriptum</span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">: To
stay current on AIDA, AI, or CV/ML matters, you may want
to register in the CVML email list, following
instructions in: <a
href="https://lists.auth.gr/sympa/info/cvml"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://lists.auth.gr/sympa/info/cvml</a><br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><br>
<span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span><span
style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA
at a glance <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Membership:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">78 members (59 AI
Universities and 19 R&D centers/companies, 1 more
is in the process of signing the AIDA accession form).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Operation
highlights 2021-2025:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">220+ educational activities
with 10,000+ registrants.<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level2 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">106 AIDA courses, 3500+
registrants (62 short courses, 44 lecture
series/semester courses).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level2 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">14 AIDA Summer schools,
700+ registrants.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level2 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">70 AI excellence lectures,
5600+ participants.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level2 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA AICET2025 Symposium
and Summer School (approximately 300 registrants).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><span
lang="EL" style="font-size:11.0pt">5 </span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">AI Mellontology (Futurology)
workshops.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">384 AIDA Students (PhD and
Post Docs).<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">196 AIDA Lecturers.<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">1100+ AIDA email list
registrants.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">363 AI Educational Resources.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">22 AIDA educational material
curators.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">320+ Dissemination/Branding
Activities.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA
plans for 2026-2030 (in brief):<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">Creation of a Global
BSc/MSc/PhD AI Curriculum (current in progress, in
cooperation with IEEE and ACM).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">AIDA expansion worldwide and
creation of a global AI Community (we already have
members in USA and candidate members in Latin
America).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">Better AIDA educational offer
to AIDA Lecturers and Students (with more involvement
of each and every AIDA Member).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt">More and better AIDA
educational offers to industry.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
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