The 2024 RecSys summer school will be held from Tuesday, October 8, to Saturday, October 12, in Bari, Italy. Leaders in the field will give lectures on the practice, research, and state of the art in recommender systems. The lectures are covering a broad range of topics from an algorithmic as well as a methodological perspective and will also include hands-on sessions.

The Summer School on Recommender Systems is supported by ACM RecSys and SIGCHI. The RecSys Summer School follows previous summer schools on the same topic having taken place in Bilbao in 2006, Bolzano in 2017, Gothenburg in 2019, Fortaleza in 2019, and Copenhagen in 2023.

Info about registration and travel grants will be published soon.

We are currently seeking experienced and knowledgeable speakers to deliver lectures on various topics related to recommender systems. If you are an expert in the recommender system field and are interested in contributing to our summer school, we invite you to submit a proposal for a lecture. Each lecture will be approximately 90 minutes long (it is possible to extend to a maximum of 180 minutes if motivated), including time for questions and discussions. We encourage speakers to provide practical insights, case studies, and examples to enhance the learning experience for participants.

Categories

Each proposal should fall under one of the following categories: foundational, introductory, or advanced topics.

• Foundational topics present the basics of a research area to the students who have yet to gain prior knowledge in that area. They should be at an elementary level, without prerequisites in the lecture’s topic, though possibly assuming a level of general scientific maturity in the relevant discipline. They should enable researchers from related disciplines to become comfortable with the fundamental concepts and techniques of the lecture topic, thereby contributing to the interdisciplinary nature of our research community.

• Introductory topics are central to RecSys’s mission. They are intended to introduce a research field to students, young researchers, and non-specialists and foster a sound understanding of its basic methods and techniques. Introductory topics should enable researchers from related disciplines to become competent in the lecture topic. Introductory topics that are cross-disciplinary may presuppose general knowledge of the relevant disciplines.

• Advanced topics are targeted primarily at PhD students and attendees who wish to understand current research in the field of Recommender Systems.

Applications

If you are interested in presenting a lecture at our summer school, please submit the following information:

• Title and abstract of the proposed lecture (150 words maximum)
• Tentative outline of the lecture (with a list of topics)
• Expected level and prerequisites
• Appropriate references (e.g., textbooks, monographs, proceedings, surveys)
• Brief biography (150 words maximum)
• Previous teaching experiences (150 words maximum)
• Contact Information (Name, Affiliation, Email, Phone Number)

Selection Criteria

When selecting proposals, the organizing committee will consider the following criteria:

• Relevance: The proposed lecture should align with the themes and objectives of the summer school, focusing on topics related to recommender systems. It should contribute to the overall learning goals of the school.
• Expertise: The speaker should have significant expertise and experience in the proposed topic. This can be demonstrated through previous research, publications, industry experience, or teaching experience in the field of recommender systems.
• Innovation (not applicable for Foundational topics): The proposed lecture should offer novel insights, perspectives, or methodologies to enrich the participants’ understanding of the topic. It should go beyond basic concepts and provide advanced or cutting-edge knowledge.
• Practicality: The lecture should be practical and applicable, providing participants with actionable insights or skills to apply in their research or professional endeavors. Case studies, examples, and demonstrations are encouraged.
• Engagement: The speaker should be able to engage the audience effectively, fostering interactive discussions, answering questions, and encouraging participant participation. The lecture should be engaging and informative.
• Clarity: The lecture should be well-structured and clearly presented, ensuring participants can follow the content easily. The speaker should be able to communicate complex concepts in a clear and understandable manner.
• Diversity: The organizing committee will strive to select a diverse range of speakers representing different perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise within the field of recommender systems. This will ensure a well-rounded and comprehensive learning experience for participants.
• Ethical Considerations: The proposed lecture should adhere to ethical guidelines and considerations, especially when discussing topics related to fairness, bias, privacy, and transparency in recommender systems.
• Originality (not applicable for Foundational topics): The proposed lecture should not be a direct replication of existing content or materials. Speakers are encouraged to present original ideas, research findings, or methodologies.
• Feasibility: The proposed lecture should be feasible within the allocated time frame (approximately 90 minutes) and should not require extensive resources or specialized equipment.

Important Dates

• March 31, 2024: Expression of interest (mandatory) with contact information, lecture title, and abstract. Expression of interest shall be sent via e-mail to summerschool2024@recsys.acm.org
• April 15, 2024: Final submission (Google Form)
• May 31, 2024: Notification

Guidelines

To be considered, lecture proposals should closely adhere to the following guidelines: No more than two lecturers can submit proposals, and lectures must be presented by the lecturers who submitted the proposal. By the submission deadline for lecture proposals, all lecturers must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent degree. Lecture proposals should explicitly state the intended lecture category. Proposals for introductory lectures should indicate the intended level, for example, as it relates to standard textbooks and monographs in the area. Proposals for advanced lectures should specify the prerequisites in detail.

To keep participation fees to a minimum, all the instructional and organizational work of the RecSys Summer School is completely voluntary. However, the registration fees of organizers and instructors will be waived, and travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed up to a level that will be communicated along with the proposal notification. The organization can only guarantee reimbursement for at most one lecturer per proposal (approximately 1,500 Euros) and can not guarantee full reimbursement of travel costs for lecturers outside of Europe. The organizers would appreciate any help in reducing the School’s expenses by seeking partial or complete coverage of travel and accommodation expenses from other sources.

To be defined

Info about registration will be announced soon.

The summer school will be held at University of Bari, Department of Computer Science, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

Location

• Ludovico Boratto (University of Cagliari, Italy)
• Cataldo Musto (University of Bari, Italy)
• Fedelucio Narducci (Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy)