ICML, UAI and COLT 2008

In July 5-12, 2008, Helsinki will host three international scientific conferences, each being the leading annual conference of its field. The International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) is the most important annual event in machine learning, attracting annually about 500 participants from all over the world. The Annual Conference on Learning Theory (COLT) is the main conference in the field of computational learning theory, with some 100 participants annually. The Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI) has since 1985 been the primary international forum for presenting new results on the use of principled methods for reasoning under uncertainty within intelligent systems, attracting around 200 leading experts of the field every year.

Although the three conferences are all related to computer science, artificial intelligence in particular, they each have a different focus, and target somewhat different audiences. However, the benefits of sharing the location are evident. The locations of the conferences vary annually, switching between USA, Europe and Asia, and although this is not the first time the three conferences have shared the same location, it is the first time this happens in Europe, and actually this is the first time any of these major events takes place in Finland.

The three international background organizations behind the conferences are the International Machine Learning Society, the Association for Computational Learning, and the Association for Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence. Each organization has independently appointed the persons in charge of the conference programme and the organization (a summary fact sheet can be found in http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/group/iuc2008/ICMLUAICOLT2008_factsheet.pdf), each conference has a separate budget, and plans the contents of its programme independently following its own standard processes (although some coordination is taking place concerning the joint workshops and tutorials on July 9). More information about the conferences can be found at http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/group/iuc2008/.

Tentative conferences schedule

This schedule outline is very preliminary and will change.

SatSunMonTueWedThuFriSat
5 July6 July7 July8 July9 July10 July11 July12 July
ThemeICML tutorialsICML technical sessionsICML technical sessionsICML technical sessionsJoint workshop and tutorials dayUAI & COLT technical sessionsUAI & COLT technical sessionsUAI & COLT technical sessions
9-10TutorialsInvited speakerInvited speakerInvited speakerWorkshops & tutorialsInvited speakerInvited speakerInvited speaker
10-10:30BreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreak
10:30-12TutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsWorkshops & tutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessions
12-13.30LunchLunchLunchLunchLunchLunchLunchLunch
13.30-15TutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsWorkshops & tutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessions
15-15.30BreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreakBreak
15.30-17TutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsWorkshops & tutorialsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessionsTechnical sessions
19:30-ICML receptionICML poster sessionICML poster sessionICML banquetJoint receptionUAI poster sessionUAI & COLT banquet