Nordic Graduate School of Language Technology
NGSLT Board Meeting
Minutes
30th Oct, 2006
13.30-16.30
(lunch 12.00-13.30)
Wallenberg Centre, Göteborg
Present: Ola Björklund, Robin Cooper, Vera Evdokimova, Kimmo Koskenniemi, Stina Ojala, Eirikur Rögnvaldsson, Inguna Skadina, Pavel Skrelin, Torbjørn Svendsen
- formalia
Robin opened the meeting.
It was decided that Robin and Ola would be secretary and that the minutes would be placed on the website for checking.
Kimmo proposed one item to be taken up under Any Other Business: The relationship between NEALT and NGSLT
The agenda was approved. - information
Robin gave information about the review of NGSLT which NordForsk is planning for this autumn. We have suggested names for the review panel and are waiting for instructions from NordForsk.
Pavel gave information about a new undergraduate, masters and PhD programme in Language Technology in St Petersburg which was awarded partly on the basis of St Petersburg's participation in NGSLT. - minutes of last meeting (html)
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
Action (Göteborg): Make the accounts of LT in the various countries both updateable and public (possibly on the wiki and possibly with restricted writing permissions). When this is done, invite the board members to update.
Ruta should be included in the list of those present. Action (Göteborg). - student issues (student representatives)
Two new representatives to the Board have been elected: Vera Evdokimova and Stina Ojala. Marcus Uneson has been elected as a substitute. Action (Göteborg): update web pages.
The student representative for Estonia has changed. The new representative is Anton Ragni. Action (Göteborg): update web pages.
Representatives to the board will be elected every year. Area representatives will be elected at intervals to be determined by the individual countries.
Students will be collecting suggestions for courses. Area representatives will communicate suggestions to the Board representatives by 15th Nov and the Board representatives will collate them and pass them on to the Board after that.
The organization of a summer school with several courses is desired.
The next student meeting will be held in Tartu in connection with Nodalida.
Course evaluations for NGSLT courses should be carried out by the teacher. Basic information about the courses from the students' perspective will be placed in the student discussion area on the wiki.
The issue of giving NGSLT student status to research students who are masters students was discussed. It was agreed that the main requirement for students in countries where PhD status is unclear is to have a research plan. Action (Göteborg/Helsinki): construct a new version of the application form for NGSLT status which requires a 1/2 page description of the student's research plan. The supervisor support form should also require the supervisor to confirm the research plan in the student's application.
Marratech supervision for NGSLT students should be encouraged.
Students are planning to forms SIGS (on the wiki, via Marratech meetings). This could be an interesting opportunity for supervisors to take part in such groups. - budget issues (Ola, Robin)
Ola and Robin presented accounts for the first half of 2006. We have used slightly more that what was budgeted for including the additional funds left over from the first year. This is good news. They also presented a budget prediction to the end of NGSLT's funding in 2008 which included at least two one week courses per semester in addition to the offerings by GSLT. - courses
- proposal for payment
of teaching
The proposal was approved. - course schedule
The schedule was discussed and modifications will be made as our planning continues. St. Petersburg is planning to offer a Speech Technology Level 2 course taught by Katarina Bartkova during the second half of April. - proposed policy for course participation (html)
The proposal was approved. There was discussion concerning how supervisors should be kept informed about student's applications and course progress. Action (Göteborg): Contact supervisors when students apply for a course and again when students finish (or fail to finish) a course. Action (Göteborg): Inform students about this policy. It should be put on the website and included in the course application form. - descriptions of existing courses on NGSLT's wiki (http://ngslt.org/wiki/view/Main/LocalCourses)
Action (all): Contribute information to this page. - NGSLT meetings in connection with Nodalida in Tartu
We decided to have a student meeting followed by a board meeting using either Thursday or Sunday or a combination of Thursday evening and Sunday morning. Action (all): Contact Ola (ola@gslt.hum.gu.se) with your preferences. - organization of a student session
There should be a student session in Tartu, to be organized with NGSLT support. Action (Robin): Contact Joakim concerning this. - funding for students giving papers/posters (main and student
session)
We will fund NGSLT students to present papers and posters at Nodalida in Tartu (both at the main and student sessions). - reports from working groups
There has been little activity in these groups. It was decided that NEALT would take them over. Action (Kimmo): Reconstitute the working groups in NEALT. - LT curriculum (Kimmo)
- Electronic LT Literature (Robin)
- LT terminology (Kimmo)
http://forums.csc.fi/kitwiki/pilot/view/KitWiki/Database:CategoryTerm
http://www.ling.helsinki.fi/kit/2004s/terms-en.shtml
http://www.ling.helsinki.fi/filt/info/terminology/index-en.shtml - date of next meeting
24th or 27th May (in Tartu). If necessary a Marratech meeting will be convened prior to this. - any other business
There was discussion concerning the relationship between NGSLT and NEALT. In large part the current relationship is represented by the move of the working groups to NEALT. NEALT should also concern itself with issues concerning the future funding of NGSLT when the current funds end in 2008.
Concern was expressed about multiple copies of messages sent to announcements@ngslt.org Action (Göteborg): remove doublets from lists.
