LIACC – The Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory of the University of Porto is a R&D unit established in 1988, with headquarters at FEUP and a hub at FCUP but which includes researchers from several other higher education institutions such as UFP, ISMAI, UAzores, P.PORTO and IPVC. It includes 30 integrated members and 40 collaborators with a PhD and 40 PhD students. LIACC achieved the grade of “Excellent” (with a maximum score of 5/5/5 in all evaluation items) on the last FCT’s assessment of R&D institutions.
LIACC management is done according to FCT (Portuguese Agency for Science) multiannual Science Funding rules, through a Coordinating Board, a Director, a Scientific Board and an External Advisory Board. The current Coordinating board is composed by Luis Paulo Reis (Director), Henrique Lopes Cardoso, Mário Florido, Brígida Mónica Faria and José Cascalho.
The laboratory pursues research mainly on Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science with emphasis on: Complex Systems, Machine Learning, Data Science, Autonomous Agents, Intelligent Simulation, Intelligent Robotics, Natural Language Processing, High-Performance Computing and Declarative Programming. LIACC is also concerned in implementing proof-of-concept software and systems leading to prototypes and future real applications on these areas.
The R&D at LIACC is developed according to the following Thematic Lines: Health and Wellbeing; Intelligent Cities and Mobility; Innovative and Sustainable Industry/Services; Public Administration and Governance; Infrastructures and Highly Connected Society; Entertainment/Games. The funding and quality of LIACC’s R&D activities has been continuously increasing, taking profit from different sources of funding (FCT, Portugal2020, European, Industry, and Public Administration) and attracting new talented researchers. The laboratory has appropriate connections with Doctoral Programs: PRODEI at FEUP, PDCC at FCUP, and MAP-I (joint PhD program from the Universities of Minho, Aveiro and Porto). LIACC has also strong connections with FEUP’s and FCUP’s MSc and BSc programs such as MEIC, MEEC, MIB, MECD, MIA, MM, MERSI, MCC, MCD, LEIC, LCC and LIACD. LIACC members are strongly committed to supervise quality research work leading to very successful PhD and MSc theses. LIACC offers excellent research conditions including newly acquired high-performance computers that extend the computational infrastructure available for its researchers supporting a wide variety of AI projects demanding computer-intensive processes. LIACC offers the appropriate environment for a rich, cooperative, and creative atmosphere demanded by any world-class research.
LIACC was in the core of the creation and is now part of the Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory (LASI), the largest Associate Laboratory in Portugal. LASI includes 13 R&D institutions and more than 500 researchers holding a PhD degree. The participation in the core of this large consortium will enable LIACC to increase its critical mass, funding, and internationalization.
