AAMAS

The AAMAS conference series was initiated in 2002, with the goal of providing a single, high profile, internationally respected and recognised forum for research in the theory and practice of autonomous agents and multiagent systems. The first AAMAS conference (AAMAS-2002, Bologna, Italy) attracted a remarkable number of submissions and nearly 700 delegates, firmly establishing it as the major event in the academic history of agent systems to date. We expect that the 2003 conference, in the attractive and cosmopolitan setting of Melbourne, Australia, will build on the successes and strengths of the 2002 conference, and will confirm AAMAS as a key event on the international computing research calendar.AAMAS-03 received 466 submissions, from 30 countries across the globe. The 33 members of the senior program committee recruited 178 program committee members to handle the reviewing process. Each paper was reviewed by at least three program committee members, with some submissions selected for publication as full papers, and some selected for presentation as posters. The acceptance rate for full papers was 24.7%: low enough to ensure high quality, yet high enough to include a variety of topics and perspectives. The acceptance rate for full papers and posters together was 56.9%. Full papers were accepted from 19 countries, and posters from 21 countries. This proceedings volume includes full papers, and poster summaries.

• The AAMAS conference is a merger of three highly successful related events:

• The International Conference on Autonomous Agents (AGENTS);

• The International Conference on Multi-Agent Systems (ICMAS); and

• The International Workshop on Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages (ATAL).