First Call for Applications and SAVE THE DATE!!! The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) German Chapter is pleased to announce the IEEE RAS Summer School on Cognitive Robotics, taking place from September 7–11, 2026, at the historic Abtei Frauenwörth, Chiemsee, Germany. About the Summer School Robotics has rapidly evolved from laboratory research into a transformative technology impacting manufacturing, healthcare, mobility, civil security, and everyday life. At the same time, recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have unlocked unprecedented capabilities for autonomous systems. While AI techniques for perception and vision-based action are now widely adopted in robotics, the integration of higher-level cognitive capabilities for long-horizon and long-term autonomy—such as decision making, automated planning, continual learning, task and motion integration, and human-AI interaction—remains one of the most exciting and open research frontiers. This Summer School brings together leading researchers from AI and robotics to explore the foundations and future of cognitive robotics. Participants will gain insights into state-of-the-art methods that enable robots to reason, learn, interact, and pursue goals in dynamic, uncertain, and human-centered environments. Beyond the lectures, the Summer School offers a unique opportunity to: Learn directly from internationally renowned experts, Discuss research ideas in an intimate and highly interactive setting, Build connections with fellow students, researchers, and practitioners, Engage with successful entrepreneurs working at the forefront of robotics and automation. How to Apply Applications must be submitted by July 10, 2026 via the following Google Form: https://forms.gle/qPg2g3J8QYWgaarz6 As part of the application, you will be asked to provide: A Curriculum Vitae (CV) in PDF format (uploaded through the form), A short statement of motivation explaining why the Summer School is relevant to your interests, studies, research, or professional activities. Selection and Participation Fee The Summer School is limited to 40 participants, ensuring an engaging learning experience with ample opportunities for interaction with lecturers and fellow attendees. Participants will be selected primarily based on their motivation and the relevance of the Summer School to their academic, research, or professional goals. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive cohort and warmly encourage applications from individuals with a broad range of technical backgrounds. Successful applicants will be invited to confirm their participation through registration and payment of the participation fee. While attendance at all lectures and scientific activities is free of charge, the participation fee covers: Accommodation (September 6–11, 2026), Meals, Coffee breaks, Social activities during the Summer School. The participation fee will not exceed: €800 for non-students, €700 for students. IEEE members are eligible for additional discounts. We are actively pursuing further sponsorship opportunities and will make every effort to reduce the participation fee. The amounts listed above represent the maximum fees, and the final fees may be lower once registration opens. Confirmed Lecturers We are currently expanding the programme, but are delighted to already announce the following confirmed speakers, whose lectures will cover a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from automated planning and reasoning to the integration of high-level task reasoning with low-level motion planning, as well as state-of-the-art machine learning techniques for robotics. Brian Williams – Professor, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Hector Geffner – Professor, Chair of Machine Learning and Reasoning, RWTH Aachen University Hermann Blum – Professor for Robot Perception and Learning, Lamarr Institute/University of Bonn Jan Peters – Professor for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, TU Darmstadt João Silvério – Head of the Interactive Skill Learning Group, German Aerospace Center (DLR) Majid Khadiv – Professor for AI Planning in Dynamic Environments, Technical University of Munich (TUM) Marc Toussaint – Professor for AI and Robotics, TU Berlin Rudolf Lioutikov – Professor, Intuitive Robots Lab, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Additional speakers will be announced soon. Further Information For additional information, please visit: https://r8.ieee.org/germany-ras/2026/05/11/ieee-ras-german-summer-schools-2026/ If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to welcoming you to Chiemsee in September 2026! IEEE RAS German Chapter Summer School Organising Committee
