35th European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information (ESSLLI 2024)

The European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information (ESSLLI) is a yearly recurring event, which has been organized since 1989. An ESSLLI Summer School provides an interdisciplinary setting in which courses and workshops are offered in logic, linguistics and computer science. Courses (foundational, introductory and advanced) and workshops cover a wide variety of topics within three interdisciplinary areas of interest: language and computation, logic and language, and logic and computation. In addition to the workshops and courses there are usually four evening lectures, given by prominent researchers, on topics that are at the forefront of research in logic, language and computer science, also from wider scientific, historical, and philosophical perspectives. Its relevance to students of artificial intelligence is evident.

The event lasts two full weeks, and is traditionally held in the beginning or midst of August.  ESSLLI attracts  every year around 400 participants from all parts of Europe, as well as from North and Latin America, and Asia.  Participation by people from economically weaker countries is made possible by ESSLLI funding. The ESSLLI has become the main meeting place for young researchers and students in logic, linguistics and computer science to discuss current research and to share knowledge. The event is unique in its interdisciplinary set up, with no equivalents in Europe. It is organized under the auspices of the Association for Logic, Language and Information (FoLLI).

In addition to regular courses and workshops, 4 evening lectures are organized. Since 2018, one of the evening lectures is the Dick Oehrle Memorial Lecture. All evening lectures are open to the general public. Since 1996, PhD and advanced students have their own daily meeting place at ESSLLI's student session, organized by and for the students, and with its own yearly prizes.

The Beth Prize award ceremony and lecture is organized by the FoLLI board. All ESSLLI participants are welcome to attend.

CALL FOR COURSE AND WORKSHOP PROPOSALS

35th European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information – ESSLLI 2024: 29 July - 9 August 2024, Leuven, Belgium. 

INTRODUCTION

Under the auspices of the Association for Logic, Language, and Information (FoLLI), the European Summer School in Logic, Language, and Information (ESSLLI) runs every year. Except for 2021, when the school was virtual, it runs in a different European country each year. It takes place over two weeks in the summer, hosts approximately 50 different courses at levels that run from foundational to introductory to advanced, and attracts around 400 participants from all over the world.

Since 1989, ESSLLI has been providing outstanding interdisciplinary educational opportunities in the fields of Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Linguistics, Logic, Philosophy, and beyond. It comes from a community which recognizes that advances in our common areas require the contributions of multiple interrelated disciplines.

The main focus of ESSLLI is the interface between linguistics, logic and computation, with special emphasis on human linguistic and cognitive ability. Courses, both introductory and advanced, cover a wide variety of topics within the combined areas of interest: Logic and Computation, Computation and Language, and Language and Logic. Workshops are also organized, providing opportunities for in-depth discussion of issues at the forefront of research, as well as a series of invited evening lectures.

TOPICS AND FORMAT

Proposals for courses and workshops at ESSLLI 2024 are invited in all areas of Logic, Linguistics and Computer Science. Cross-disciplinary and innovative topics are particularly encouraged.

Each course and workshop will consist of five 90 minute sessions, offered daily (Monday-Friday) in a single week. Proposals for two-week courses should be structured and submitted as two independent one-week courses, e.g. as an introductory course followed by an advanced one. In such cases, the ESSLLI Program Committee reserves the right to accept just one of the two proposals.

All instructional and organizational work at ESSLLI is performed completely on a voluntary basis, so as to keep participation fees to a minimum. However, organizers and instructors have their registration fees waived, and are reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses up to a level to be determined and communicated with the proposal notification. ESSLLI can only guarantee reimbursement for at most one course/workshop organizer, and cannot guarantee full reimbursement of travel costs for lecturers or organizers from outside of Europe. The ESSLLI organizers would appreciate any help in controlling the School's expenses by seeking partial or complete coverage of travel and accommodation expenses from other sources.    

CATEGORIES

Each proposal should fall under one of the following categories:

• FOUNDATIONAL COURSES: Such courses are designed to present the basics of a research area, to people with no prior knowledge in that area. They should be of elementary level, without prerequisites in the course's topic, though possibly assuming a level of general scientific maturity in the relevant discipline. They should enable researchers from related disciplines to develop a level of comfort with the fundamental concepts and techniques of the course's topic, thereby contributing to the interdisciplinary nature of our research community.
• INTRODUCTORY COURSES: Introductory courses are central to ESSLLI's mission. They are intended to introduce a research field to students, young researchers, and other non-specialists, and to foster a sound understanding of its basic methods and techniques. Such courses should enable researchers from related disciplines to develop some comfort and competence in the topic considered. Introductory courses in a cross-disciplinary area may presuppose general knowledge of the related disciplines.

• ADVANCED COURSES: Advanced courses are targeted primarily to graduate students who wish to acquire a level of comfort and understanding in the current research of a field.

• WORKSHOPS: Workshops focus on specialized topics, usually of current interest. Workshop organizers are responsible for soliciting papers and selecting the workshop program. They are also responsible for publishing proceedings if they decide to have proceedings.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Course and workshop proposals should closely follow these guidelines to ensure full consideration.

Course and Workshop proposals can be submitted by no more than two lecturers/organizers and they are presented by no more than these two lecturers/organizers. All instructors and organizers must possess a PhD or equivalent degree by the submission deadline.

Course proposals should mention explicitly the intended course category. Proposals for introductory courses should indicate the intended level, for example as it relates to standard textbooks and monographs in the area. Proposals for advanced courses should specify the prerequisites in detail.

Proposals of Courses given at ESSLLI the previous year will have a lower priority of being accepted in the current year.

Proposals must be in PDF format include all of the following:

1. Personal information for each proposer: Name, affiliation, contact address, email, homepage (optional)
2. General proposal information: Title, category
3. Contents information:
   1. Abstract of up to 150 words
   2. Motivation and description (up to two pages)
   3. Tentative outline
   4. Expected level and prerequisites
   5. Appropriate references (e.g. textbooks, monographs, proceedings, surveys)
4. Information on the proposer and course:
   1. Will your course appeal to students outside of the main discipline of the course?
   2. Include information on your experience in the intensive one-week interdisciplinary setting
   3. Include evidence that the course proposer is an excellent lecturer
5. Information from workshop organizers:
   1. Include information on relevant preceding meetings and events, if applicable
   2. Include information about potential external funding for participants