**************************************
The EPIA Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a well-established European conference in the field of AI. Its purpose is to promote research in all areas of AI, covering both theoretical and foundational issues and applications, and the scientific exchange among researchers, engineers, and practitioners in related disciplines. The 24th edition, EPIA 2025, will take place in Faro from 1st  to 3rd of October, 2025. As in previous editions, this international conference is hosted with the patronage of the Portuguese Association for Artificial Intelligence (APPIA).

**************************************
CONFERENCE FORMAT
The scientific program of EPIA 2025 is composed of a set of thematic tracks. In addition to the parallel sessions for the different tracks, there will be plenary sessions with invited lectures given by leading scientists, discussion sessions, and social events. More detailed and up-to-date information may be found at: https://epia2025.ualg.pt/

**************************************
IMPORTANT DATES
– Thematic-track proposal deadline: January 31, 2025 (AoE)
– Notification of track acceptance: February 17, 2025
– 1st Call-for-papers: March 7, 2025
– Paper submission deadline: May 23, 2025 (AoE)
– Notification of paper acceptance: July 4, 2025
– Camera-ready papers: July 14, 2025 (AoE)
– Conference dates: October 1-3, 2025

**************************************
CALL FOR THEMATIC TRACKS
The worldwide AI research community is invited to submit thematic track proposals for EPIA 2025. Thematic tracks are intended to provide an environment that fosters an active exchange of ideas between researchers within specific sub-areas of AI, including theoretical and foundational, integrative, application-oriented, and newly emerging areas. Each track is coordinated by an Organizing Committee composed of researchers from at least two different countries. Track organizers should also create a highly international Program Committee for the track, with recognized researchers within the corresponding scientific areas.

The selection of proposed thematic tracks will be made by the Program Chairs and Steering Committee of EPIA 2025. We aim to build a strong, well-balanced conference program. With this goal in mind, the chairs may actively solicit additional proposals or suggest the merging of proposed tracks if there are significant thematic gaps or overlaps after the track proposal submission closes.

Papers accepted in thematic tracks will be published by Springer, in a volume of the Lecture Notes on Artificial Intelligence (LNAI) series.

Submitted papers should be prepared according to the corresponding format, with a maximum of 12 pages including references. Presentation slots will be accommodated in the conference program for every accepted paper, in thematic sessions that may run in parallel.

**************************************
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Organizing Committee of each track will be responsible for:
– Creating an international Program Committee (PC) for the track;
– Publicizing the track by all adequate means;
– Coordinating a double-blind review process for papers submitted to the track, ensuring each paper is reviewed by at least three PC members;
– Assisting the Program Chairs of the conference in the paper selection process;
– Ensuring the delivery of camera-ready versions of papers accepted for the track following the guidelines and deadlines defined by the conference organizers;
– Coordinating the track session chairing assignments.

The organizers of EPIA 2025 will ensure:
– A web-based tool to support the scientific organization process (paper submission, reviewing, selection, etc.);
– The coordination and final deliberation on paper acceptance decisions;
– The publication of thematic track papers in the conference proceedings;
– A meeting place and time for holding the track sessions, including common equipment (e.g. computer and beamer).

EPIA 2025 organizers reserve the right to cancel a track if deadlines are missed, or if the track organizers are unable to attract a minimum number of quality paper submissions. If that is the case, the merger of track sessions may be carried out.

**************************************
THEMATIC TRACK PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Track proposals should not exceed 3 pages and must be submitted as a single PDF
file, at the conference submission system:

https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=epia2025

The proposal should contain the following information:
1. Thematic track title;
2. Name, affiliation, postal address, phone, and email address of all members of the track Organizing Committee, which must include researchers from institutions in at least two different countries;
3. Identification of the Organizing Committee contact person;
4. A brief description of the specific scientific/technical scope of the track;
5. A list of topics of interest;
6. A tentative list of members of the proposed track Program Committee, which should be highly international (e.g. no more than 50% from a single country);
7. A preliminary version of the track Call for Papers;
8. The planned format (e.g., invited talks, paper presentations, panel discussions, etc.) and duration of the track (2h or 4h);
9. Plans of preparing a special issue for papers accepted in the thematic track, indicating which journal will host it;
10. Planned forms of publicizing the track;
11. A list of technical/room requirements for the track;
12. Sponsors or other funding initiatives for the thematic track;
13. For thematic tracks that are being proposed for the first time, indicate an estimate of how many papers are expected to be submitted. If you have already organized this thematic track in previous editions of EPIA, indicate how many submissions and accepted papers it received.

**************************************
EPIA 2025 COMMITTEES

Event and Program Chairs
José Valente de Oliveira, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
João Rodrigues, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
João Dias, Universidade do Algarve, CISCA
Pedro Cardoso, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
João Leite, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, NOVA LINCS

Organisation Chairs
Simão Melo de Sousa, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
Helder Daniel, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
José Barateiro, Universidade do Algarve, NOVA LINCS
Marielba Zacarias, Universidade do Algarve, CISCA
Paula Martins Ventura, Universidade do Algarve, CISCA