Affiliate Programme

Objective

to establish strategic partnerships, with good diffusion of ideas, between AIAI staff and staff in the member company, in order to improve the company's competitiveness in home and world markets.

Achieved by:

• AIAI staff working with the Affiliate's staff to promote the use of Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Based Systems techniques in the Affiliate's Services, Products or Business;
• a liaison officer at AIAI will provide regular reports to a nominated contact of the Affiliate and will discuss the provision of the facilities with that contact;
• an Affiliateship is arranged for two years in the first instance to ensure that a stable working relationship is built up between the AIAI's and the Affiliate's staff.

Benefits include:

• AIAI staff working with Affiliate staff on company projects to provide them with the skills necessary to develop innovative solutions - this may involve AIAI developing technology demonstrators, prototypes or delivered intelligent software solutions - in each case the development route will be explained and the technology trasferred so that the company can update and maintain their own system.
• Provision of consultancy - senior consultants available include those of AIAI and also staff in the University's Department of Artificial Intelligence.
• Participation in the AIAI's Visitor Schemes - flexible arrangements are possible, e.g. the Affiliate might prefer to send several people for short periods, rather than a single person for a long period (depending on the nature of the project). The project is chosen to facilitate effective transfer of techniques and skills and yet to be of direct relevance to the Affiliate's interests. The period of study or stay, the level of supervision, training needs and computing provision are individually specified.
• Training -  provision of short courses on AI/IKBS techniques, matched to the Affiliate's needs. The courses can be given in the AIAI's premises, or alternatively, some courses can be taught at the Affiliate's workplace.
• Information services - automatic inclusion in AIAI's Associate Programme

Membership terms:

a company or organisation that has a work plan with AIAI for a period of 2 years or more and where the value of the annual services is £25,000 or greater may elect to become an "Affiliate" of the Institute. Any of the AIAI services can be included in the Affiliateship work plan.

Affiliate Programme enquiries should be directed to Ann Macintosh (email: a.macintosh@ed.ac.uk)