PLATO is based on a highly interdisciplinary, international network of over 60 researchers from over 15 disciplines (incl. linguistics, psychology, economics, medicine, physics, social, and educational, communication and computer sciences) with (globally) unique expertise, numerous joint projects and publications in high-impact international journals.
PLATO’s unique research structure unites experts from the closely interconnected Rhine-Main-Area (Mainz, Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Kaiserslautern) and further German regions (e.g., Berlin, Hamburg and Münich), as well as cooperating with an international network of highly profiled scholars from numerous countries (incl. Austria, Netherlands, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia). The PLATO network is thus interlinking universities and further leading research institutions such as the DIPF (German Institute for International Educational Research) and the DFKI (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence) with outstanding scholars from research centers in Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and many others.
PLATO is also establishing and developing a new research community at the young researchers level. PLATO has successfully established the Mini Graduate College DIAPASON as well as a new PLATO interdisciplinary postdoc group. PLATO aims to extend its graduate education structure to train young researches for an international career in this rapidly growing interdisciplinary field of research, enabling PhD and postdoc candidates to acquire unique expertise in research and practice of this urgently needed and future-relevant area.