The ELLIS Doctoral Symposium (EDS) 2026, organized by ELLIS Unit Lisbon, brought together PhD students, postdocs, researchers, and AI experts from across Europe in Lisbon from 27–30 July 2026 to explore the theme of Trustworthy AI. The symposium provided a platform for early-career researchers to present their work, exchange ideas, and connect with peers from across the ELLIS network. The programme featured inspiring keynotes, scientific talks, poster sessions, panel discussions, and an Industry Fair, offering participants opportunities to engage with leading researchers as well as representatives from industry. Beyond the scientific programme, participants also came together for a Gala Dinner and a rooftop sunset gathering, providing additional opportunities for networking and informal exchange.

With up to 140 participants, EDS 2026 continued the tradition of bringing together the next generation of AI researchers from across Europe. The symposium is part of the annual ELLIS Doctoral Symposium series, which was previously hosted in Warsaw in 2025 on Robust AI, Paris in 2024 on AI & Sustainability, Helsinki in 2023 on Sensibility in AI, Alicante in 2022 on AI for Good, and Tübingen in 2021. Across its different locations and themes, the EDS series provides a dedicated platform for PhD students and early-career researchers to present their work, exchange ideas, build international connections, and engage with leading researchers from across the ELLIS network.

The EDS 2026 speaker programme brought together a diverse group of ELLIS researchers and early-career scientists from leading institutions across Europe. The programme featured Desmond Elliott from the University of Copenhagen, Asja Fischer, Unit Director and Scholar at Ruhr University Bochum, Miguel Couceiro from the University of Lisbon, and Gustau Camps-Valls, Program Director and Fellow at the University of Valencia. Further speakers included Matthias Bethge, Unit Director of ELLIS Tübingen, Program Director and Fellow at the Tübingen AI Center and University of Tübingen, André Martins, Program Director and Fellow, and Ana Paiva, Fellow at Instituto Superior Técnico.

The programme also highlighted the contributions of early-career researchers, including Catarina Barata from LARSyS, ISR-Lisboa and Instituto Superior Técnico, Emanuel Gonçalves from the University of Lisbon, Instituto Superior Técnico and INESC-ID, as well as Zita Marinho and Marcos Treviso from the University of Lisbon. Together, the speakers reflected the breadth of expertise within the ELLIS community, bringing established researchers and emerging talents together across different areas of AI and machine learning.

EDS 2026 continued the ELLIS Doctoral Symposium tradition of combining scientific excellence, international collaboration, and community building, bringing together a diverse and dynamic community to discuss the future of trustworthy AI and strengthen connections among the next generation of AI researchers in Europe.

Credits for photographs and the video: Lukas Zittlau from Friedrich Schiller University Jena
More Infos and the Agenda at: https://ellis.eu/events/ellis-doctoral-symposium-2026