Dear all, I would like to share some personal news directly with you, especially since I have noticed that information has started circulating informally, and I believe it is important that you hear it from me first. I have recently accepted an offer to join AI4I – Artificial Intelligence for Industries, the new national AI center in Italy, as Head of Laboratory. This new role will give me a level of independence, autonomy, and leadership that, unfortunately, neither UniBe nor other Swiss institutions were able to offer at this stage of my career. This opportunity represents a natural and timely step forward for me. I want to underline how deeply I value my time within the Software Engineering Group. Working with each of you—scientifically and personally—has been one of the highlights of my career. SEG has shaped the researcher I am today, and I am sincerely grateful for the collaborations, discussions, and support I have received over the last year or so. However, the moment has come for me to build and lead my own team, pursue my research vision with full independence, and develop a laboratory dedicated to my long-term agenda, while maintaining strong scientific ties with SEG. My goal is not to distance myself from the group, but rather to evolve into a new role from which I can continue to collaborate meaningfully with SEG and other groups. Nothing will change abruptly. My official start at AI4I will be part-time from February 2026, with a gradual transition throughout the year. I will continue working with the SEG members already collaborating with me—whom I have informed personally some time ago—and I expect ongoing scientific exchanges and joint initiatives in the future. For the moment, I kindly ask you to keep this information confidential within the group until AI4I oof mysel handle the official communications. I look forward to continuing our interactions over the coming months, and I sincerely hope to maintain—and even strengthen—our collaborations in the long run. SEG will always remain an important scientific home for me. Warm regards, Sebastiano