This year's program featured five full courses spanning the breadth of modern AI:
- Causality and Machine Learning
- The Perception of Human Language in LLMs — covering bias, culture, politics, and ethics
- Deep Neural Networks for Business and Decision Making
- AI Adoption, Compliance and Societal Change
- Biologically Inspired Learning in Spiking Neural Networks and Neuromorphic Systems
From mathematically rigorous foundations to applied and societal perspectives, the course offering ensured there was something meaningful for researchers coming from very different backgrounds. PhD students attended from the majority of NORA's partner universities, university colleges, and research institutes, a testament to how widely the summer school has established itself as a key meeting point for the Norwegian AI research community. We were also proud to welcome guests from WASP-HS (Sweden) and the P1 Center (Denmark).
The four days were demanding, the learning curve was steep, and the schedule was full, but the program was designed with more than lectures in mind. Evening social activities gave participants space to decompress, connect, and let the brain breathe. Conversations over lunch, during breaks, and at the evening events turned out to be just as valuable as the classroom hours, sparking exchanges between people who might never have crossed paths otherwise. On Thursday evening, participants gathered for a dinner and a visit to Teknisk Museum, a memorable midweek highlight before the final day of courses on Friday brought the school to a close. And while the first day greeted us with grey skies and rain, the sun came out in force as the week progressed, a welcome bonus for an already energizing week.
Participants left with not just new knowledge, but new connections across the Norwegian AI landscape. Kushagri Tandon, NORA-Tech Student Council leader, put it well:
The programme as a whole covered a wide range of topics [...] so there was something for researchers coming from very different backgrounds. What I didn't quite anticipate was how much value would come from the informal side of things [...] I hope it continues to be a fixture in the AI calendar for students and researchers in Norway.
We couldn't agree more. See you at NORA Summer School 2027!
Certificate of Attendance
Were you part of NORA Summer School 2026 and would like to receive a certificate of attendance? Reach out to a.p.seremak@nora.ai with your name and the course you attended, and we'll get one sent to you.
NORA Research School membership
The national NORA Research Schools (NORA-Tech and NORA-HS) organize various activities including intensive courses, exchange programs and competitions for PhD students focused on AI topics and at the intersection of AI and social sciences. Are you not a member yet? Apply today!