S P E C I A L R E P O R T
LIAAD is introduced to INESC Porto
Investing on international visibility 
LIAAD - the Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support Laboratory, member of INESC Porto LA, focuses its activity on Decision Support Systems. It pays special attention to Data Mining techniques, Forecast, Adaptive Modelling and Optimization applied to Marketing, Finance, Process Scheduling, Healthcare, Text Information Extraction and several other areas.
 How it all began
According to Luís Torgo, researcher at LIAAD, this laboratory was the outcome of NIAAD’s exit (Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis Nucleus) from LIAAC (Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory) from the University of Porto, in 1998.
He explains that "this exit is related to LIAAD’s present and future, namely to its increasing integration in INESC Porto LA (Associated Laboratory) network since last May”.
 LIAAD's goals
LIAAD is coordinated by Pavel Brazdil and it has 28 members. Most of its researchers are from the Faculty of Economy from the University of Porto although it integrates people from other institutions and companies as well.
One of LIAAD’s most important goals is to strengthen its excellence in its research areas, to dynamize advanced training, and also to develop the rendering of services in its areas of competence.
Expectations for the future
LIAAD’s board also intends to strengthen the group, particularly in its international component. At the same time, the group wants to succeed in this new stage of cooperation with INESC Porto LA.
 What LIAAD has to gain from this partnership with INESC Porto
Questioned about what LIAAD has to gain from this partnership with INESC Porto, Luís Torgo points out that “LIAAD will enjoy a support structure that would otherwise be impossible with LIAAD’s current dimension”.
The researcher also adds that “We are expecting, not only more cooperation as a result from this partnership with other INESC Porto groups, but also new projects in collaboration with other institutions".
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