Researchers and graduate students in the fields of NLP and computational linguistics, computer scientists interested in statistics and machine learning, and industry practitioners who desire a more in depth understanding of these subjects.
Organization
Days are divided into morning lectures and afternoon lab sessions and afternoon talks. A preliminary version of the guide for the labs can be found here.
The lectures and afternoon talks are available at our Youtube Channel.
Requirements
No deep previous knowledge of ML or NLP is required, but the attendants are assumed to have some basic background on mathematics and programming.
The first day is scheduled to review basic concepts and introduce the necessary tools for implementation exercises.
About the school
The Lisbon Machine Learning Summer School (LxMLS) takes place yearly at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). LxMLS 2023 will be a 6-day event (14-20 July, 2023), scheduled to take place as an in-person event.
This year LxMLS will take place from July 14th to 20th.
WILL THE SCHOOL REALLY BE IN PERSON?
Yes. We are nonetheless planning to also broadcast the lectures on YouTube.
IS THERE A REGISTRATION FEE?
Upon acceptance, students will be asked to register for the summer school. A registration fee will support the full participation in the lectures and practical sessions, also covering lunches, coffee breaks, and the social event (banquet). The early and late (between parenthesis) fees are the following:
• 350 EUR - regular students (400 EUR); • 400 EUR - university professors (500 EUR); • 400 EUR - researchers at public institutes (500 EUR); • 600 EUR - everyone else (700 EUR).
OOPS! I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION TWICE. WILL THAT BE A PROBLEM?
It should be fine. If we find repeated entries we consider the most recent application.
IS IT EASY TO FIND ACCOMMODATION?
Some of the best reasonably-priced hostels in the World can be found in Lisbon, right in the middle of the historic and night life district. However, be sure to prepare your lodging in advance. You can check Booking.com, TripAdvisor or Airbnb.
I FORGOT/LOST MY FOOD TICKET AT THE SCHOOL! WHAT CAN I DO?
You’ll have to pay for your lunch. It may be the case that some monitor or organizer can give you spare tickets (meaning they will have to eat elsewhere), but we do not provide replacements for tickets in general. Try no to lose them!
I DON’T SPEAK PORTUGUESE, WILL THAT BE A PROBLEM?
It should not be a problem provided that you speak English. Many people in Lisbon speak fluent English, and Portugal is ranked as having a “High Proficiency” level on the English Proficiency Index. Furthermore, since Lisbon attracts a lot of tourists, you can also find fluent speakers in other languages, like Spanish, French or German.
CAN YOU PROVIDE AN INVITATION LETTER?
Yes, but invitation letters will be issued only to students after they have been accepted. Students that will need a visa are however advised to prepare the documents in advance to speed up the process. For the invitation letter, you will need to provide us your full name, the passport information (number, issue date and place, and expiration date), and the address to which you would like the invitation letter to be sent to.
DOES BEING REJECTED IN PREVIOUS YEARS INCREASE CHANCES OF ACCEPTANCE?
Yes. There is a specific field in the application form for this. Be sure to remind us that you did not get in last time. We check, so please don’t use this option if you did not apply before.
IS IT EASY TO GET ACCEPTED IN THE SCHOOL?
We get a lot of applications each year and the number has been increasing steadily. The number of students is usually slightly above 30% of the number of applications.
ARE THERE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE?
Yes. In partnership with our sponsoring companies, we provide a limited number of scholarships. We use these grants to fund students worldwide that show high potential but would normally not have the means to get to the school. There are various fields related to the scholarship application on the application form.
IF I GET A SCHOLARSHIP, HOW DOES IT WORK?
We will reimburse your registration, travel, and lodging expenses up to the quantity specified in the grant. Notice that you will still have to pay the school registration (but you may use grant money to pay for the registration). The amount of the scholarship has to do with a budget that you must specify in advance. You will have to send us copies of receipts, together with your full name, address, nationality, and passport number.
CAN ASKING FOR A SCHOLARSHIP REDUCE THE CHANCES OF ACCEPTANCE?
In principle, this should not be the case. However, during the selection process, there is always a number of doubtful cases. If you asked for a grant and you were not selected for it, with no further information, we may assume that you would not come to the school if being accepted, and this may affect your chances. Be sure to only apply to a scholarship if your institution cannot cover your expenses.
WHERE DOES THE SCHOOL TAKE PLACE?
The summer school takes place in Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), which is located in the heart of Lisbon. Registration and lectures take place at Centro de Congressos (floor -1). The morning coffee breaks are at the same place, but in floor -2. The afternoon lab sessions take place in Pavilhão de Informatica, and lunch is served at the Canteen. The school banquet takes place at Casa do Alentejo.
WHAT ARE THE APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION PERIODS?
Since our resources impose limitations on the number of accepted people, we have adopted a two-step approach: First, everyone interested in the summer school must apply. Then, the organisation committee analyses all the applications and sorts them according to their motivation, CV, and other relevant information. Finally, the first top applicants will be selected for participation and will need to perform the REGISTRATION in order to participate.
CAN I GET ECTS CREDITS FOR THE SCHOOL?
All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance during the event, but there is no equivalence in terms of the ECTS grading system.
HOW DO I GET TO THE SCHOOL FROM THE AIRPORT?
You can use the subway connection from the airport to the subway close to the IST. Take the subway on the airport (red line) until either the Alameda or Saldanha stops.
IS FOOD AFFORDABLE?
Very affordable, even by south European standards. Be sure to use the opportunity to taste local dishes such as Francesinha, Alheira, and of course Codfish. The school provides lunch tickets for the University canteen in any case.
HOW IS THE WEATHER? DO I NEED A RAINCOAT OR SOMETHING?
In July the weather is usually very pleasant, with sunny days and warm temperatures (30ºC – 86ºF). There are several beaches a few minutes away from the center. The public transportation system is far-reaching and reliable, and has the Metro (subway) as its main backbone.
IS LISBON SAFE?
Yes, Portugal is a very safe place, ranking sixth on the Global Peace Index in 2022, and Lisbon is no exception to this. Having said that, since the city is a touristic attraction, it also attracts pickpockets and non-violent theft. Take the usual precautions in touristic places.
ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LISBON?
Lisbon is situated in the west coast of Portugal, where the Tagus river meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is the westernmost capital in mainland Europe. The light, the atmosphere, and the climate offer marvelous walks all over the city. Lisbon is also extremely lively, with a wealth of cultural events happening every day, and a vibrant nightlife. A huge selection of restaurants is available, featuring Portuguese and international cuisine. The following video provides some background on what to expect.
DO YOU THINK I CAN GET A VISA?
We are in no position to offer advice regarding visa issues. You’ll have to reach your embassy for this. Do this in advance as there are normally big delays regarding visa processing.
REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
• To be eligible for a registration reimbursement, participants must submit a written request to the LxMLS office at least 7 days before the start of the program. • The only reasons for requesting a registration reimbursement are rejected VISA or documented medical emergencies. Participants must provide evidence of their VISA refusal or medical condition along with their request. • The amount of reimbursement is 100% of the paid fee, regardless of the date of the request, as long as it is within the 7-day deadline. • Participants who withdraw or cancel their enrollment after the 7-day deadline or for reasons other than VISA refusal or medical emergency will not receive any reimbursement.
