RecSys Summer School 2025 in Vienna Announced: A Must-Attend for Students

Yesterday, at the closing session of the ACM Recommender Systems Conference in Bari, exciting news was shared. The RecSys Summer School 2025 will take place in Vienna from September 15-19, 2025. Just one week later, the ACM RecSys Conference 2025 will be held in Prague. This is an incredible opportunity for students interested in recommender systems! More details and a newsletter at https://recsys-lab.at/rsss2025/.

What Is a Summer School?

A summer school is an intensive, short-term academic program. It’s designed to give students a deep dive into a specific research area. For a few days, participants attend lectures, workshops, and hands-on sessions led by top experts in the field. At the RecSys Summer School, students will learn about cutting-edge developments in recommender systems. The environment is smaller and more focused than a large conference, which means you can ask questions, interact closely with speakers, and connect with fellow students.

This summer school is ideal for PhD students, but advanced Master’s students interested in recommender systems are also encouraged to apply. It’s a chance to learn, network, and get feedback on your work from leading researchers.

To get a better idea of the RecSys Summer Schools, look at the past summer schools.

Why You Should Go

Attending a summer school is a fantastic way to gain in-depth knowledge quickly. You’ll cover both foundational topics and the latest research in recommender systems. The hands-on sessions will give you practical skills to apply to your own projects. Plus, the small group format allows for more direct interaction with speakers and peers than at a larger conference.

In addition to the learning experience, Vienna is an amazing city. Rich in history and culture, it’s a perfect backdrop for an academic event. And once the summer school is over, it’s a short and scenic train ride to Prague for the ACM RecSys Conference.

A Growing Tradition

The 2025 summer school will be organized by Prof. Julia Neidhardt from TU Wien. She leads the Christian Doppler (CD) Lab for Recommender Systems and is known for her work on human-centered approaches to technology. This isn’t the first time the RecSys Summer School has been held before the main conference. In 2023, the school took place in Copenhagen, and in 2024, in Bari and before occasionally in other locations. It’s exciting to see this becoming a regular event, offering students a structured learning opportunity before the main conference.

Two Great Events, One Train Ride Apart

By attending both the summer school and the RecSys conference, you’ll get the best of both worlds. First, an intensive learning experience in Vienna. Then, a chance to immerse yourself in the wider recommender systems community in Prague. If you’re a student eager to deepen your expertise, this is the best opportunity to do both in just two weeks.

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!