COST ARTS 2nd Training School
Autonomic Road Transport Support Systems: Behavioural Responses & Impact
Sofia, Bulgaria, September, 9-12, 2014

Hosted by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

145 Anniversary of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Click here to download the programme Schedule

Introduction
Autonomic Road Transport Support Systems (ARTS) is a COST EU Network, aiming to build up a community investigating the underlying principles, feasibility and implications of self-managing road transport systems.  As part of that effort the Network will provide the opportunity, through short, intensive training schools, for scientists and engineers to build up their knowledge and motivation to start a career in this area. The Training School is aimed particularly at early career researchers in traffic engineering, computer science and transport studies, providing intensive training to research students and re-training professions. The course will cover behavioural issues and impact on the level of service and externalities in transport networks of applications concerned with embedding autonomic properties into road traffic control systems.

Who should attend?
Graduated and PhD students, researchers and young professionals who have a background in Computing, Engineering and Behavioural Sciences, with some previous knowledge of Road Transport Systems and ITS.
Objectives 
To give attendees:

• A grounding in (a) traffic management systems and intelligent transport systems (b) principles of autonomous vehicles and autonomous systems in transport (c) human interaction with autonomous agents
• Insight in (a) the externalities of traffic systems (b) empirical evidence of the impact of autonomous road transport systems

Organisation
The School is being organized by programme chair Prof Eric van Berkum from the University of Twente in the Netherlands with the support of the local organization committee, Dr Krisimira Stoilova from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Duration and Dates:
The School will run for four full days, 9th - 12th of September, 2014. Students are expected to register Tuesday, September 9th at 9 AM at the Best Western hotel (see below for details).

Format and Contributors
Each day two themes will be covered, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lectures, seminars and practical sessions will be used. Several speakers of international standing in the area will contribute to the course delivery.  The program will also include a poster session where each of the participants is given the opportunity to present his or her work.

Venue
The Training School will be held at the 4-star Best Western hotel in Sofia. Subsistence costs at the hotel are 65 euro per day, which includes breakfast, dinner, free sauna and fitness. The hotel is situated near a Metro station and the travel to the city center is about 25 minutes. Click to see detailed information about the venue and transportation.

About Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria with a population of around 1.3 million people. The city is located at the foot of Mount Vitosha in the western part of the country. It occupies a strategic position at the center of the Balkan Peninsula. Sofia’s history spans 2,400 years.
Cost and Financial Support 
The COST Network will provide tuition, lunches and coffee breaks to accepted participants. Accommodation, other meals and travel costs are extra, but we have a limited number of bursaries with a maximum of 600 Euros per person, available on a competitive basis, to contribute towards the cost of travel and subsistence during your stay. Potential participants must apply for a place on the course, and provide the following information: a CV, a support statement of up to 500 words stating their relevant academic background and experience, their current work, and how the course will help them in the future. Additionally, in the case of a research student, a support statement from their supervisor is required. 
Places on the course and bursary support, will be awarded using the following criteria:

• Residency in an ARTS COST country - see list of member countries on (www.cost.eu/domains_actions/tud/Actions/TU1102/)
• The 500 word support statement
• Anticipated benefit to the applicant from the course
• Suitability of the applicant’s academic background.


How To Apply
Applicants must fill in an applications form which is available through the this link, and send completed application form and a short CV via email to: Prof Eric van Berkum: e.c.vanberkum@utwente.nl; and Dr Krisimira Stoilova: k.stoilova@hsi.iccs.bas.bg
There will be a limit to the number of participants on the course. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: June 22nd, 2014.

Important dates

• Application form submission and a short CV: June 22nd, 2014
• Notification to successful students: June 25th, 2014
• Registration at COST school website: July, 4th, 2014
• Registration in the e-COST website: July 4th, 2014
• Hotel Booking: July 4th 2014

 We look forward to welcoming you to Sofia!