Objective
The problem addressed by ELSNET is the construction of multilingual integrated language and speech systems with unrestricted coverage of spoken and written language. This long term technological goal can only be achieved by joint efforts on a European scale, requiring skills covering virtually all subareas of language and speech technology and their intersections, and a broad language coverage. Multilingual integrated language and speech systems, even in restricted form, are crucial for the creation and the accessibility of the emerging European information infrastructure. Industries will need them when marketing services and products across language barriers. In the form of embedded systems, these integrated systems will serve as enabling technologies. The fact that out of 100 institutions currently constituting ELSNET, some 40 belong to private industry reflects that industry has acknowledged the importance of ELSNET's objectives and the role ELSNET plays in order to achieve them.
ELSNET, as a Network of Excellence, brings together the main European research teams (both academic and industrial, with wide geographical coverage) and an increasing number of SMEs in the field of natural language and speech processing. It is in an excellent position to contribute to the common goal by means of research co-ordination, training and mobility. The size of the network requires an indirect approach to research co-ordination, based on convergence, integration and complementarity. Activities will focus on four areas: Integration of Language and Speech, Integration and Comparative Evaluation of Research Results, Relationship between Academia and Industry, and Language Coverage. Many of ELSNET-2's projected activities are continuations of successful actions undertaken under the present ELSNET contract. Joint workshops with participation from academia and industry will contribute to co-ordination in the area of research. Proposals (to be submitted for funding from other sources) will be prepared in the area of evaluation, aiming at the development of new evaluation methods for integrated systems, and at the creation of a European evaluation infrastructure. The Annual European Summer School plays a key role in training.
Common curricula in language and speech will be developed, and facilities will be offered for student placements in industry.
ELSNET has been an important European actor in the field of language and speech resources, and will continue its actions in close collaboration with related European actions (e.g. ELRA and EAGLES). The links between academia and industry will be strengthened by means of an intensified dissemination of information in both directions (notably via the World Wide Web), and by the creation of a permanent industrial panel for regular consultation on matters of common interest, such as research directions and training needs.
A new step is the creation of a legal entity which will allow the network to be more visible, and to participate as a partner in joint actions. This will also allow the network as such to (eventually) generate income of its own, and to make its existence less dependent on EC funding. Finally, ELSNET-2 will, fully in line with the EC's current policy, open up towards the East, with the medium term goal to create one single Network in Language and Speech, covering both Western and Central and Eastern Europe.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
ACM - Preparatory, accompanying and support measuresCoordinator
3512 HJ Utrecht
Netherlands