NB: REGISTRATION, MEALS AND ACCOMMODATION
ARE NOW FREE FOR ALL ELSNET MEMBER SITE EMPLOYEES,
IF REGISTERED BEFORE FEBRUARY 1st
Conference Announcement
ELSNET in Wonderland
How can we turn ELSNET into a showcase of Language and Speech technology?
March 25-27, 1998
ELSNET members are now invited to register for and submit
contributions to "ELSNET in Wonderland", a two-day conference
(lunch-to-lunch format) for the entire ELSNET community.
"ELSNET in Wonderland" will consist of a mix of practical and
theoretical discussions, plenary sessions, and small working group
sessions. Day one will be devoted to 'visions and dreams':
Given the current state of Language and Speech technology,
* which available facilities could ELSNET offer in principle, for
example via its web pages?
* what are the main research problems to be addressed in order to
facilitate and promote the implementation of L&S technology in the
emerging Multilingual Information Society?
Based on the outcome of the presentations and the discussions of day
one, day two will focus on the following, more down-to-earth topics:
* which of the facilities could be made available in practice during
the lifetime of ELSNET?
* can we, on the basis of our reflections on research issues, arrive
at a concrete research plan?
Conference results will include:
* a number of concrete project proposals (pilot studies), leading to
the implementation of new L&S technologies on ELSNET's web pages;
* the identification of significant research strands for the future
(e.g. in the Commission's Fifth Framework Programme);
* identification of commercial or research systems resulting from EC
funded projects, suitable for inclusion in a permanent electronic
exhibition with the look and feel of a real exhibition (in
collaboration with Linglink).
Themes addressed include:
* Training and Education
* Multilinguality
* Research Issues
* Resources
* Collaboration with Central and Eastern European countries
* ELSNET's long term policies
Venue:
The conference will take place in a conference center in
Soesterberg, near Utrecht and Amersfoort (NL). Both Utrecht and
Amersfoort are easy to reach by car, by train and by air (35
minutes by train from Amsterdam airport).
Participation:
The conference is primarily intended for members of the ELSNET
community (i.e. ELSNET member site employees). Participation by
representatives of ELSNET's industrial member sites is especially
encouraged, as this conference has both a practical and a research
orientation.
Registration:
Registration is free for all ELSNET member site employees.
The registration fee for others is 100 ECU. Participants
registered before February 1st will be guaranteed a place.
The cost of meals and accommodation is free for all ELSNET
member site employees registered before February 1st. For
others it is 200 ecu per person (2 nights, all meals from
Wednesday lunch through Friday lunch included).
Registration forms are available on our our WWW pages
(http://www.elsnet.org/wonderland/form.html),
or will be sent to you upon request.
Programme Committee:
Steven Krauwer (ELSNET Coordinator, Utrecht University), chair
Ewan Klein (University of Edinburgh)
Niels Ole Bernsen (Odense University)
Jose Pardo (Universidad Politecnica, Madrid)
Nikos Fakotakis (University of Patras)
Contact:
ELSNET,
Trans 10, 3512 JK Utrecht, The Netherlands
phone +31 30 253 6039, fax +31 30 253 6000
elsnet@let.ruu.nl
http://www.elsnet.org
Web site:
Up-to-date information can be found at
http://www.elsnet.org/wonderland