On behalf of the ERF Programme Committee, we invite you to submit your workshop proposal for the 14th edition of the European Robotics Forum, to be held from 14-16 March 2023 in Odense, Denmark.
Introduction
The European Robotics Forum is the most influential meeting of the robotics community in Europe, spanning academia, industry and society. It aims to foster communication and knowledge transfer and covers technology, application and impact of robotics. The ERF provides a podium to discuss recent and future advances in robotics in context of applications, societal impact, ethical and legal considerations. Robotics includes classical aspects such as mechatronics, control, perception, and cognition, as well as current themes like AI and data in relation to robotics.
Please read the following text carefully, as several elements for the Forum set-up are changed in comparison to previous physical editions.
To further increase quality and to foster even more interaction, the Programme Committee decided to revise the call for workshops. While the call for workshops is thematically open as long as there is a clear link to a robotics topic, we would especially like to encourage the submission of particular WS types:
- We would like to see all euRobotics Topic Groups to submit workshop proposals!
- Also, we encourage clusters of related projects, e.g. from a specific EC call, but also related national projects, to submit joint workshops. This could be especially two types of project clusters:
- Projects that are newly granted in the last two years (2021 and 2022) to get the community engaged with the projects
- Projects that are in a later stage close to the end or already completed to present and discuss the results.
What we would not prefer are single project workshops (with some exceptions for network projects, e.g. for the DIH networks or research excellence centres, etc.).
- For workshops that are announced to be or could be seen as follow-up workshops at previous ERFs, the Programme Committee will also consider the material that was submitted as a follow-up activity of the respective past ERF. There is still time to upload a short WS report and other material such as slides, links to videos, photos of the workshops etc. related to ERF2022 to the respective workshop folder on our Google drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BuYls2cC82E-nZvcbL9rCqbL9hJBJogb?usp=sharing. Each workshop folder already contains a pre-filled short report template.
Workshop assessment and selection
The Programme Committee will take the feedback of previous ERF editions into account. Selections will be made based on the criteria below, soon after the submission deadline. Therefore, the following points need to be considered for any workshop application as they will be assessed by the Programme Committee:
- Specific, action-oriented workshop purpose with a clearly defined descriptions that will attract attendees to the workshop
- An aim to generate concrete answers/clear expected outcomes to current problems in the field. Therefore, we ask to provide a couple (1-3) of predefined questions to be discussed and answered in the workshop proposal submission form
- Strong focus on new and/or emerging and/or strategic topics as well as those reflecting current areas of community interest
- Clear workshop agenda and confirmed contributors to the workshop
- Highly interactive workshop, including for example discussions, Q&A, and/or panel sessions to facilitate a lively exchange of ideas among the attendees. This means that at least 30% of the time must be used for open discussions, exchange of opinions with more than one person (actual panel discussion, not a series of statements), and interaction (incl. input from attendees, polls, Miro Boards, etc)
- Balanced representation of industrial and/or academic contributors, and/or involve end-users, representatives of finance, policy, etc. as appropriate with a clear and realistic indication of the organisers, contributors, and target audience, including names of persons and/or organisations for intended contributors and attendees
Additional comments
- Please note that free ERF 2023 registration tickets for workshop proposers and contributors are only available via existing euRobotics membership, ERF 2023 sponsoring packages or as support for Topic Groups. No free tickets will be made available in any other way or for any other purpose
- euRobotics Topic Group-driven workshops can get support in form of up to 2 free tickets per Topic Group to bring in participants who would normally not attend ERF (e.g. people not working directly in robotics but bringing value when involved). The request for free tickets should be stated in the application form, mentioning the people to be invited and the motivation
- Proposers are asked to attend the workshop organisers meeting that will be held online beginning / mid November 2022 (more information will be sent to successful workshop applicants in due course)
Proposal submission
- Workshop proposals should be submitted via an online form: https://forms.gle/wLoFTFMMuJubjhJ3A
- The Deadline for workshop applications is 30 September, 2022
- Feedback to workshop proposers and potential revision / merge requests for similar WS proposals will be before 20 October, 2022
- We intend to have a first programme draft to be shared with the organisers by the beginning of November 2022