News

ELLIS Program ‘Robot Learning: Closing the Reality Gap!’ - An interview with one of the Directors

Autonomous robots that can assist humans in situations of daily life have been a long-standing vision of robotics, artificial intelligence, and cognitive sciences. In recent years, learning techniques have triggered tremendous progress in various areas including self-driving cars, logistics, manufacturing, and home automation. Several transport systems are largely autonomous, such as commercial aircrafts, metros, some trains, and drones. The driver, when there is one on-board, is providing only sporadic guidance.

ELLIS Programs

“Something remarkable is taking shape in the European Machine Learning community”

In 2018, a group of leading European researchers in the field of machine learning joined forces to establish ELLIS - an AI network of excellence which aims to secure Europe’s sovereignty in the field of modern AI by creating a multi-centric laboratory consisting of units and institutes across Europe offering outstanding research conditions for the best talent from around the world. This grassroots initiative quickly gained international attention and inspired other scientists to follow the ELLIS vision. Today, the network counts more than 1,000 members and is represented by 39 units in 14 countries. The first ELLIS institute is currently being established in Tübingen (Germany), and further institutes are expected to be set up at other locations in Europe in due course, enabling scientists to conduct pioneering basic research in the field of modern AI.

Four new units join the ELLIS network

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) welcomes four new units to its growing network: Barcelona (Spain), Graz (Austria), Potsdam (Germany) and Trento (Italy). In alignment with the ELLIS vision, the new units will promote excellence in machine learning research, represent the ELLIS network in their respective regions, foster strong links with industry, and train the next generation of outstanding AI talent. In total, ELLIS now counts 39 units in 14 countries, all striving towards the same objective: securing Europe’s sovereignty in the field of modern AI research.

ELLISUnits Press release

ELISE Mobility Program for PhD students and postdocs: Two participants share their experiences

Fostering cooperation and exchange among outstanding AI researchers in Europe is a key objective of the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS). The opportunity to meet in person is essential in this context, as it stimulates scientific discourse, helps pool resources and strengthens professional relationships. To facilitate the mobility of junior researchers across Europe, the ELISE network runs the ELISE Mobility Program for PhD students and postdocs. It is aimed at PhD students and postdocs in the ELISE network who want to initiate a collaboration with a Fellow or Member at another site. We asked two researchers who participated in the program to share their experiences with us.

ELLISPhD

Members of the ELLIS community meet for the first ‘unconference’ in Spain

Exchanges on the future of AI, plenty of cross-program discussions and many ideas for future collaborations: Those were the outcomes of the first ELLIS Unconference which took place on La Palma (Spain) in January 2023. European machine learning researchers from the ELLIS community came together for an intensive in-person exchange on current machine learning (ML) challenges and scientific advances.

Two outstanding young researchers from France and the Netherlands receive the ELLIS PhD Award 2022

An international committee of renowned scientists has selected the winners of the ELLIS PhD Award 2022: Mathilde Caron from France and Taco Cohen from the Netherlands receive the prize for their outstanding achievements during their dissertation phases. Sponsored by the Küborth Stiftung GmbH, the young researchers are awarded a prize money of 2 500 euros each. The award was announced during the ‘ELLIS Unconference 2023’ which took place on La Palma (Spain) in January.

ELLIS research programs: Two new proposals accepted

The range of ELLIS research programs is expanding further: The proposals ‘Machine Learning for Molecule Discovery’ and ‘Learning for Graphics and Vision’ have been accepted as new ELLIS programs. They will push the scientific boundaries of their respective areas by fostering exchange and research collaborations among outstanding researchers in Europe.

ELLIS Programs Press release

Elise 2nd Open Call

ELISE calls out for the best Artificial Intelligence SMEs! ELISE is a network of artificial intelligence research hubs. Based on the highest level research, it spreads its knowledge and methods in academia, industry and society.

ELLIS PhD Program: More than 1,900 interested candidates in 2022

The ELLIS PhD Program is gaining popularity: This year’s call for applications attracted more than 1,900 interested candidates from 81 countries around the world. Following the ongoing selection process, the most talented young researchers will be offered the chance to advance their scientific career as an ELLIS PhD student co-supervised at two labs in a European AI network of excellence.

ELLISPhD

ELLIS Alicante Unit Foundation awarded the Social Innovation Prize by the AEF

The jury of the annual Awards of the Spanish Association of Foundations (AEF – Asociación Española de Fundaciones) has awarded the ELLIS Alicante Unit Foundation | 'Institute of Humanity-centric AI' with the Social Innovation Prize 2022.

ELLISUnits

ELLIS PhD Program: Call for applications 2022

Apply by November 15, 2022, to join the ELLIS PhD Program in 2023

The ELLIS PhD Program is now accepting applications.

ELLISPhD

Interactive Learning and Interventional Representations (ILIR) Program Workshop

Connecting researchers in machine learning and modern AI across Europe is one of the main objectives of the ELLIS excellence network, and in-person meetings play an indispensable role for fruitful exchanges and the establishment of long-term collaborations. Members of the ELLIS program ‘Interactive Learning and Interventional Representations (ILIR)’ recently gathered for a two-day workshop in the Black Forest in Germany to discuss the latest research in their field as well as new ideas for future projects.

ELLIS Programs

“AI is mighty and efficient for this”

In 2022, a series of heat waves, droughts and wildfires marked a summer of extremes in Europe. Understanding such events, the Earth’s climate and climate change as a whole requires contributions from a great variety of scientific disciplines - and modern AI plays an increasingly important role in this. With the ELLIS program ‘Machine Learning for Earth and Climate Sciences‘, leading researchers from across Europe join forces to advance our understanding of the Earth system and to foster excellence in this field.

Earth and Climate Sciences ELLIS Programs

ELLIS Doctoral Symposium 2022: 150 PhD students and leading AI researchers discuss the latest findings in Alicante

It was the highlight of the year in the ELLIS PhD Program: 150 PhD students from 18 countries gathered at the ELLIS Unit Alicante in Spain for the second ELLIS Doctoral Symposium (EDS22). Focusing on ‘AI for Good’, the five-day event marked a unique opportunity for young researchers to meet with world-renowned machine learning experts and innovative tech companies to discuss the latest research in a field that will help tackle some of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.

ELLISPhD

ELLIS Alicante hosts the ELLIS Doctoral Symposium on Artificial Intelligence at the University of Alicante

In cooperation with the ELLIS PhD Program, the ELLIS Unit Alicante is organizing the second ELLIS Doctoral Symposium (EDS) from September 19th to 23rd. The focus of the event lies on Artificial Intelligence for Social Good. The Symposium will bring together 150 PhD students, world-renowned experts in Machine Learning such as Nuria Oliver (ELLIS) and Lama Nachman (INTEL), and 18 technology companies. It’s the first ELLIS doctoral conference in Spain.

ELLISPhD

10 million euros of funding for the development of the virtual center of excellence ELSA

A large network of top European experts in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is to promote the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI solutions in the future and make Europe the world's lighthouse of secure and safe AI. The EU is funding the project with around 7.5 million euros, with a further 2.5 million euros coming from the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

ELLIS members elect a new board for the next two years

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) has a new management board: During the latest general assembly in July, ELLIS members elected five new ELLIS Fellows to the board and confirmed four current board members in their roles. The ELLIS board is the main decision-making body in the pan-European AI network of excellence and defines its strategic agenda for the years to come.

ELLIS Press release

Call for proposals - Organisation of ELLIS Summer/Winter Schools or ELLIS Doctoral Symposium

Deadline: August 31, 2022 - Who can apply: ELLIS Units

ELLISPhD

ELLIS Theory Program Workshop: Leading scientists discuss abilities and limits of modern learning systems

Expert talks, poster sessions and many fruitful discussions: 50 researchers from across Europe joined a three-day workshop organised by the ELLIS research program “Theory, Algorithms and Computations of Modern Learning Systems” in Arenzano, Italy. Sponsored by the European Network of AI Excellence Centres (ELISE), the workshop particularly focussed on deepening the understanding of the behavior, limits and abilities of modern learning systems.

ELLIS Programs ELLIS

ELLIS expands further: New unit in Madrid added to the network

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) has added another unit to its excellence network: The ELLIS Unit Madrid - a partnership of professors and researchers from the six public universities in the Autonomous Region of Madrid - is now the 35th ELLIS Unit and the 2nd ELLIS Unit in Spain.

ELLISUnits Press release

ELIZA selected as ‘Konrad Zuse School of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence‘

The graduate school ‘Konrad Zuse School of Excellence in Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELIZA)‘, a network of 14 partners led by the Technical University of Darmstadt, has been awarded a grant by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to establish a ‘Konrad Zuse School of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence‘. ELIZA was founded by seven ELLIS Units in Germany to provide the highest level of academic training to the next generation of AI researchers.

ELLISUnits

Experts gathered in Valencia for the 2nd workshop of the ELLIS Program ‘Machine Learning for Earth and Climate Sciences‘

A group of international scientists met at the University of Valencia in Spain for the second workshop of the ELLIS Research Program ‘Machine Learning for Earth and Climate Sciences‘.

ELLIS Programs

Call for Proposals - ELLIS Units

The ELLIS society calls for a new round of proposals for the creation of ELLIS units.

ELLISUnits

More than 50 outstanding talents join the ELLIS PhD Program in 2022

The ELLIS PhD Program is expanding once again: More than 50 exceptional early-career researchers from 20 different countries have joined the program following the 2021/2022 central recruitment round.

ELLISPhD Press release

Article about AI research in Italy and the ELLIS Unit Milan

The attached article, published in the German newspaper “WELT am SONNTAG”, outlines the state and importance of artificial intelligence research in Italy.

WamS_20220417_K%C3%BCnstliche-Intelligenz_file_from_publisher.pdf

New AI and computer science institute “INSAIT” launched in Bulgaria

INSAIT, a new Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology, has been launched in Sofia, Bulgaria, this week.

WeCREATE engagement series: Online event on International Women’s Day

The new WeCREATE engagement series for female students and young professionals will organise an online event on International Women's Day (8 March 2022) to spread the excitement for creative careers in engineering, computer science, applied maths, and beyond.

Ambitious multi-centric European AI lighthouse moving forward

ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) is a European grassroots initiative in AI with a focus on scientific excellence, innovation and societal impact, working towards the creation of a multi-centric European AI Lighthouse.

Covid CXR Hackathon

Artificial Intelligence for Covid-19 prognosis: aiming at accuracy and explainability

Join data scientists from all over the world in an international virtual challenge on Covid-19 data starting on 1 February 2022. The online Hackathon is open to students, PhDs and teams of researchers that will be guided towards solving a real and compelling problem in medical imaging.

Hector foundation supports the establishment of an ELLIS institute with 100 million euros

Stuttgart/Tübingen, January 27, 2022: With a funding of 100 million euros over a period of 10 years, the Hector foundation paves the way for the establishment of an ELLIS institute in Tübingen, Germany. Today, the signature of the funding agreement took place in Stuttgart. The planned ELLIS institute aims to attract the world's best machine learning talent and will provide them with outstanding conditions to conduct pioneering basic research in the field of artificial intelligence.

ELLISUnits

ELLIS PhD Award 2021

The members of the European Laboratory for Learning & Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) have announced the two winners of the ELLIS PhD Award 2021.

ELLIS continues to grow: four new units in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems expands its network even further and welcomes four new units in Jena, Stuttgart, Milan, and Manchester

Stuttgart/Tübingen, November 5, 2021 – The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) recently added four new units: Jena and Stuttgart in Germany, Milan in Italy, and Manchester in the United Kingdom (UK). The ELLIS units strive towards a meaningful contribution to securing Europe’s sovereignty and leadership in the research field of modern artificial intelligence (AI). With its units in 14 European countries and Israel, the ELLIS network includes several world-class institutions.

ELLISUnits

ELLIS launches Fellow Program on Multimodal Learning Systems

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) adds the 14th Program to the network.

ELLIS Programs

ELLIS awarded with the German AI prize

The German AI Award (Deutscher KI-Preis), which is sponsored by the German daily ‘Die Welt’, honors outstanding contributions in the field of AI. With prize money totaling 100,000 euros, the 2021 AI Innovation Prize went to the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) and the Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe (CLAIRE).

ELLIS PhD Program: Call for applications

Apply by November 15, 2021, to join the ELLIS PhD Program in 2022

ELLISPhD machine learning AI

ELLIS holds its first-ever PhD and Postdoc Summit

Have you ever wondered what role causality may play in addressing some of the core problems in machine learning, how industries use machine learning to optimize and scale business processes or what inspired the pioneers of the European machine learning community to do what they do today? These are some of the questions that the first cohort of ELLIS PhDs and Postdocs discussed with leading scientists at the first ELLIS PhD and Postdoc Summit in July

ELLISPhD PhD and Postdoc Summit ELLIS PhD program machine learning AI

ELLIS Research Programs: new call for proposals - Deadline 15th of July 2021!

The ELLIS society (https://ellis.eu) is soliciting proposals for ELLIS Research Programs. The goal of these programs is to increase the level of excellence in European research in Learning and Intelligent Systems by encouraging high-level interaction between the top researchers in a specific field. The program is modelled after the CIFAR research programs and has been launched in close coordination and with the institutional support of CIFAR, in particular the LMB program (https://www.cifar.ca/research/programs/learning-in-machines-brains) which, along with its predecessor NCAP, had a major impact on the field of deep learning. The existing ELLIS fellowship programs can be found here: https://ellis.eu/programs. The deadline is July 15, 2021 and the submission site is on EasyChair https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ellis-programs-2021. Proposals for the creation of ELLIS Research Programs will be reviewed by the Program and Fellow committee, which are composed of an internationally diverse set of ELLIS fellows. Compilation of the evaluation can take several months. For questions please email daniela.diaconu@ellis.eu.

ELISE has issued its first open call for SMEs and Start-ups

Businesses that develop AI-based solutions and applications can apply for funding of up to 60,000 euros

The European Network of AI Excellence Centres (ELISE) will select 16 SMEs and start-ups in one of the ELISE/ELLIS focus areas.

ELISE open call funding SMEs Start-ups AI machine learning

Call for proposals – Organisation of ELLIS Summer/Winter Schools

Deadline: August 15, 2021 - Who can apply: ELLIS Units

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ELLIS PhD program to kick off its first cohort with more than 60 students from around the world 

Launched in 2020, the program’s first central call for applications attracted more than 1300 applicants from more than 70 countries

EPO and ELLIS sign Memorandum of Understanding

The MoU, which will take effect for an initial three-year period, reflects the shared interest of the ELLIS Society and the EPO in protecting and fostering scientific and technological innovation

Dr. Nuria Oliver and her team take the grand prize in global pandemic response challenge competition

Oliver, co-chair of the ELLIS board, coordinated the winning Valencia IA4COVID19 project. The AI model aims to help decision-makers with pandemic intervention policy decisions to safely reopen society. 

ELLIS Units: new call for proposals - Deadline extended until 7th of April 2021!

The ELLIS society calls for a new round of proposals for the creation of ELLIS units. The deadline is on 7th of April 2021 and the submission site is on EasyChair (https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=ellis-units-2021). Proposals for the creation of an ELLIS unit will be reviewed by the ELLIS units evaluation committee, which is composed of an internationally diverse set of ELLIS fellows. Feedback is expected to be given within 6 months after each deadline. For questions please email sites@ellis.eu.

ELLIS set to receive new funding to expand its activities in Tübingen

The Hector Stiftung has pledged to support the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) over a period of ten years.

The funds will finance the research of ELLIS Fellows at the Tübingen unit, thus serving as a decisive building block for the establishment of an ELLIS Institute.

ELLIS adds 13th Fellowship Program to the network

The Semantic, Symbolic, and Interpretable Machine Learning Fellowship Programs comprises 13 fellows and two scholars from 15 institutions and organizations across Europe.

ELLIS PhD Program: Call for Applications

The ELLIS PhD Program opens call for applications. Application deadline: 1.12.2020

ELLIS launches NLP fellow program

With the Natural Language Processing Program, ELLIS now counts 12 Fellow programs

Recently approved by the ELLIS Fellow Committee, the new program for natural language processing includes fellows and scholars from 15 European institutions

New centre for AI research opens at ETH Zurich

A core team of around 29 professorships, a new executive director, and a Fellowship programme aim to promote interdisciplinary research into this key technology.

ELLIS PhD Award 2020

The members of the European Laboratory for Learning & Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) have announced the two winners of the ELLIS PhD Award 2020.

ELLIS inaugurates 30 research units at leading institutions across Europe

At a virtual event on Tuesday, the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems presented the broad scope of research its units will cover in the field of modern AI.

Official launch of ELLIS Units - 15th of September 2020!

The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) is officially launching its 30 ELLIS research units on Tuesday, September 15. Since the first 17 units were announced in December 2019, the ELLIS initiative has gained significant momentum, adding another 13 units at top research institutions across Europe. To highlight this rapid progress toward securing the future of European AI research, each unit will be presenting its research focus. While an in-person launch was initially planned in spring at the Royal Society in London, the event was postponed as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and will now take place online. The event will be will be open to the general public via livestreaming. A detailed agenda and the YouTube link will be posted shortly.

Bernhard Schölkopf holds keynote speech at online event “No one size fits all: Artificial Intelligence as Key Technology for Personalised Medicine”

Brussel/Tübingen – Artificial intelligence is one of the technologies that are key to Europe’s future. The areas of application are manifold, but not yet fully anchored in society. In the field of healthcare, the crucial role that data collection and analysis can play in the treatment of diseases has already been recognised. Personalised medicine is one out of many key applications of this modern data-driven approach to healthcare. Cross-disciplinary collaboration and a strong European network of AI hubs are needed to lever the full potential of AI.

EPFL launches Center for Intelligent Systems

EPFL’s new Center for Intelligent Systems (CIS) will act as a research promotion platform for bringing together experts in machine learning, data science, computer vision, cyberphysical systems, and robotics.

ELLIS fellowship program: call for proposals - Deadline 1st of March 2021!

The ELLIS society (https://ellis.eu) is soliciting proposals for ELLIS Research Programs. We welcome programs run by academic and industry researchers alike. In the case of industry researchers, we hope for assistance in approaching their employer for a financial contribution. The program is modelled after the CIFAR research programs and is being launched in close coordination and with the institutional support of CIFAR, including the LMB program (https://www.cifar.ca/research/programs/learning-in-machines-brains) which, along with its predecessor NCAP, played a major role for the field of deep learning. The existing fellowship programs can be found here: https://ellis.eu/programs.

ELLIS researchers screen a billion molecules for drugs against Covid-19

Researchers from the ELLIS Unit Linz have recently used a neural network called ChemAI to screen for new drugs against Covid-19. In a large effort, they have searched a database of a billion molecules for favorable properties and now provide the resulting list of 30,000 potential drugs to the public. They also computationally tested existing drugs for the for their potential use as a therapeutic for Covid-19.

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Online Workshop on Covid19@ELLIS on April 1st

The world is facing a public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We all need to take this on, and science can make a major contribution. This online workshop will present projects on how to tackle Covid-19 using methods of machine learning and AI, carried out by leading international researchers.

The European Commission offers significant support to Europe’s AI excellence

The European Commission has decided to fund ELISE, a project proposal that specifically focuses on fundamental research in AI, driven by machine learning (ML), with 12 Million euros.

European Commission Vice-President Vestager visits Cyber Valley

Scientists from the ecosystem are making a decisive contribution to the future of European AI

At a meeting with the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann, and the state’s Science Minister Theresia Bauer, scientists welcomed the European Commission’s new Digital Strategy and demanded strong support for research in the field of learning AI.

Nuria Oliver, Co-Founder @ ELLIS: Facilitate Multi-nation Collaboration for AI Research in Europe

Nuria Oliver, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Vodafone Institute and Chief Data Scientist at DataPop Alliance shared ELLIS’ mission behind its latest announcement at NeurIPS 2019, and offered her advice on how individuals and organizations can get involved and support ELLIS.

17 ELLIS units across 10 European countries and Israel established

Grassroots initiative assembling top European talent in machine learning mobilizes more than 200 Mio in funding across Europe for the next 5 years

ELLIS sites: call for proposals!

The ELLIS society calls for proposals for the creation of ELLIS units.

ELLIS PhD Award

The members of the European Laboratory for Learning & Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) have announced the first six winners of the ELLIS Ph.D. Award.

ELLIS Programs launched

Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg invests 1 Mio Euros

Leading European AI scientists issue a call to action

ELLIS initiative proposes concrete measures to advance AI research in Europe

Following their meeting with Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President Kretschmann in Stuttgart, Europe's leading AI researchers have formulated a set of recommendations that will promote the development of a strong European AI research network.

Baden Württemberg’s Minister President Winfried Kretschmann receives Europe's leading AI researchers

Scientists convene to advance European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems ELLIS

2019-04-04_ELLIS_Stuttgart_Press_Release.pdf

ELLIS Society Founded

Top European Machine Learning Scientists Join Forces to Establish European Excellence Network for Public Artificial Intelligence Research

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