CE322-7-AU-CO:
Algorithmic Game Theory
2021/22
Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 07 October 2021
Friday 17 December 2021
20
31 March 2021
Requisites for this module
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This module prepares students to understand and design the kinds of systems that are coming to define modern life, such as Amazon, Uber, eBay, etc. These companies need analysts who can decide which objectives to maximize, what information and choices to offer, what rules to set, and so on. These questions require a broad understanding of topics at the interface of theoretical computer science and economics.
This module will take a computational and algorithmic approach to designing and analyzing such systems. Students will explore the interaction between self-interested agents and strategic scenarios through the lens of Algorithmic Game Theory and Mechanism Design.
Algorithmic game theory lies at the exciting intersection of CS and Economics and is an area of expertise that is in great demand within the UK Finance Industry, forming one of the primary recruiting sectors for graduates from Computer Science.
The aim of this module is to introduce this subject to students using research-led teaching that uses expertise from staff within the Centre for Computational Finance and Economic Agents (CCFEA) at the University of Essex.
This model also provides an excellent opportunity for students to explore continuing their studies in a postgraduate CCFEA degree programme.
By the end of this module, students will:
1. Be able to model various situations as strategic games
2. Understand and use computational and algorithmic aspects of game theory
3. Appreciate incentive structures used in certain situations
4. Carry out a model of a realistic scenario, perform evaluations and draw conclusions from the model evaluation.
Syllabus
Game Theory Basics:
Mixed Strategies, Expected Payoffs, and Nash Equilibrium.
2-Player Zero-Sum Games, and The Minimax Theorem, Introduction to Linear
Programming
Selfish Network Routing, Congestion Games, and the Price of Anarchy
Auctions and Mechanism Design Basics;
Auctions as games, Bayesian games, and Vickrey auctions
Matching Markets, unit-demand auctions, and VCG
Revenue maximizing auctions, and Simple auctions
Combinatorial auctions
Online auctions, sponsored search auctions
Mechanism design without money
Algorithms and complexity theory basics
Learning and computing Nash and market equilibria
NP-Completeness, PLS-Completeness, PPAD-Completeness
Current research challenges in algorithmic game theory.
No information available.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Successful Completion of Selected Labs |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Progress Test |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Assignment |
|
80% |
Additional coursework information
The assignment will evaluate the students' ability to model in game-theoretic terms a real life situation and/or evaluate a given model's quality. In this respect, the students will compute the equilibria of a specific game and/or consider possible variations of the game's incentive structures and compare their possible outcomes. The students will submit their model as working code and an accompanying report that documents the code, evaluates the game and draws conclusions from the work carried out.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 83 hours, 80 (96.4%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
1 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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