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Theme
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Blockchain has been proposed as a system for enabling untrusted entities to contribute into maintaining a common data structure and shared ledger of a digital history without a need for intermediaries. The development and deployment of Blockchain-based systems, and their applications, need to take into consideration new requirements and challenges, thereby raising novel open issues and research questions. The Academic Track of Europe’s premier Blockchain conference, Decentralized 2019 will address the following themes:

• Design and engineering improvements to the protocols and architectures underpinning Distributed Ledger Technologies (including Blockchains).
• Gaining insights of the technical, business, legal, and societal implications of cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies, including real-life applications and case studies.
• The convergence of the technology with other emerging technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, VR etc.) that are becoming key elements of the fourth industrial revolution.

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List of Topics
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DC 2019 – Academic Track invites researchers and industry experts to submit original contributions in the following major areas (indicative list, other related topics will also be considered):
• Industry 4.0 transformation and Blockchains
• Data Science in Blockchains
• Enabling novel Consensus and Fault Tolerance Mechanisms
• Game Theory in Distributed Ledgers (including Blockchains)
• Convergence of Blockchains with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Virtual Reality (VR)
• Experience Papers/ Use-cases with Blockchain
• Governance, and Incentivised Models for Blockchains
• Barriers and Enablers in Blockchain adoption
• Formal verification of protocols and Smart Contracts
• Interoperability of Blockchains with existing Business Models and Processes
• Legal, ethical and societal aspects of digital-currencies and Blockchains
• Verticals using Blockchain (financial, e-health, energy, logistics, supply-chain etc.)
• Blockchain in e-government and public administration
• Technology and infrastructure challenges in Blockchains
• Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO)
• Attacks and Security considerations on Blockchains
• Public, Private and Hybrid Blockchains (permission-less vs. permissioned)

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Paper Submission
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** More updates to the conference Website

Submissions must not overlap with works that have been published or that are simultaneously considered for publication. All submissions will be blindly reviewed. Any mention of the author's names or affiliations, acknowledgments or obvious references should be removed from the submitted paper. For any questions regarding the call for papers and the submission, please write to the following address: dc-academic@unic.ac.cy

Submission of a paper should be regarded as a commitment that, should the paper be accepted, at least one of the authors will register and attend the conference to present the work. Decentralized 2019 reserves the right to exclude a paper from distribution after the conference (e.g., removal from the digital library and indexing services), if the paper is not presented at the conference.

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Conference Proceedings
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Accepted papers will appear in Conference Proceedings published by MDPI Open Access Journal Proceedings. Selected papers presented at the Conference will be invited to submit their extended versions (at least 50% extension) to a joint Special Issue with MDPI Future Internet Journal.

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Keynote Speakers
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 Dr. Ramesh Ramadoss, co-chair of the IEEE Blockchain Initiative and chair of the IEEE Blockchain Standards Working Group

Organizing Committee

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Scientific Chairs
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 George M. Giaglis, General Director of the Institute For the Future, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus
 Philipp Sandner, Head of the Frankfurt School Blockchain Center (FSBC), Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany

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Organisation Committee
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 Klitos Christodoulou, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus
 Elias Iosif, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus

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Program Committee Members
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Andreas S. Andreou, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Cyprus
Michel Avital, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Roman Beck, IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Ilias S. Kotsireas, Wilfrid Laurier University-Waterloo, Canada
Savvas Chatzichristofis, Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus
Panayiotis Christodoulou, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Cyprus
Paulo Rupino Cunha, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Sokratis K. Katsikas, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus
Shih-wei Liao, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Soulla Louca, Institute For the Future, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus
Ioannis Katakis, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus
Athanasia Pouloudi, Athens University of Economics and Business
Angelos Stavrou, George Mason University, USA
Marinos Themistocleous, University of Nicosia (UNIC), Cyprus
Konstantinos Votis, Centre for Research & Technology, Hellas (CERTH), Greece
Giannis Charalambides, University of the Aegean, Greece
Miguel-Angel Sicilia, University of Alcalá, Spain