Foundations of Multi-Agent Systems

Owner	Bachelor Kunstmatige Intelligentie
Coordinator	A. Novaro
Part of	Minor Kunstmatige Intelligentie, year 1Minor Logic and Computation, year 1Exchange Programme Faculty of Science, specialisation BSc Artificial Intelligence, year 1Bachelor Kunstmatige Intelligentie, year 3Bachelor Future Planet Studies, major Kunstmatige Intelligentie, year 3

Course manual 2020/2021

Course content

The field of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) studies the interactions of several autonomous agents. The agents can be human or artificial, and their interactions can be of a cooperative or competitive nature. The behavior of the agents may be influenced by the information available to them, their mutual relationships, as well as their individual goals and preferences.

In this course, we will see how to represent in a formal way the interactions of the agents in different MAS settings. Among the topics covered by the course there will be the fundamentals of game theory and social choice theory, matching markets, auctions, logics for multi-agent systems, and simulations.

Study materials

Literature

• Yoav Shoham and Kevin Leyton-Brown, 'Multiagent Systems. Algorithmic, Game-Theoretic, and Logical Foundations'.
  Cambridge University Press, 2009. (E-version available from http://www.masfoundations.org/download.html).

Other

• Additional materials and slides will be posted online after each lecture.

Objectives

• Student can explain fundamental research topics in Multi-Agent Systems.
• Use theoretical and applied tools to model and solve problems for Multi-Agent Systems.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Self-study
• Computer lab session/practical training

The course consists of lectures and exercise classes with teaching assistants.
The students are also expected to work on their own to deepen their knowledge (homeworks).

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• For practical trainings and tutorials with assignments attendance is obligatory. The requirements for attendance might differ between courses and are stated in the course manual. When students do not meet the requirements for attendance, he or she cannot finish the course with a pass mark.
  

Assessment

Item and weight	Details
Final grade
1 (50%) Tentamen
1 (50%) Assignments

Students have to hand in the answers to homework assignments (typed and submitted electronically), which together will contribute to 50% of the final grade. A final exam will contribute to the remaining 50%.
IMPORTANT: in order to approve the course, the student should get an approval grade (greater or equal than 5,5) for *both* (i) the average of the homeworks and (ii) the final exam.

Inspection of assessed work

The manner of inspection will be communicated via the digitial learning environment.

Assignments

A set of exercises will be given each week, and the students should submit their solutions in groups of two persons (from the same exercise class group). Solutions must be typed up professionally and submitted as a PDF file via Canvas. Solutions must be correct, but they also should be short and understandable. Assignments will be graded and will contribute to 50% of the final grade for the course.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

• The course will be taught in English.

Processed course evaluations

Below you will find the adjustments in the course design in response to the course evaluations.

Contact information

Coordinator

• A. Novaro

Staff

• Puck de Haan BSc
• Leyla Kibar
• Dante Niewenhuis