The Multimedia Information Processing Systems Group (MIPS) of the Industrial Systems Institute (ISI)/ATHENA Research Center participates in Industrial PhD programs in collaboration with the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications (DITA) at the University of Ioannina. This collaboration is part of a broader initiative between ISI and DITA to foster high-impact, application-driven research and to produce Industrial PhDs capable of bridging the gap between academia and industry. These programs are also co-funded by Avisense , providing students with the opportunity to apply and test their research on a real autonomous vehicle platform, ensuring hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.