MBZUAI To Host COLING 2025: A Premier International Conference On Computational Linguistics In Abu Dhabi

The 31st International Conference on Computational Linguistics (COLING 2025) will be hosted by Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). This event, organised by the International Committee on Computational Linguistics (ICCL), is set to take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 19th to 24th January 2025. It marks the first time this prestigious conference will be held in Abu Dhabi and the MENA region.

COLING is a leading conference focusing on natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI). The event will bring together prominent figures from these fields. The programme includes a main conference, workshops, tutorials, and other events. Attendees can expect keynote speeches, oral and poster presentations, and panel discussions.

Professor Preslav Nakov, chair of the NLP department at MBZUAI and local committee chair, expressed excitement about hosting COLING 2025 in Abu Dhabi. "We are thrilled to host COLING 2025 in Abu Dhabi, marking a milestone for the region's involvement in cutting-edge NLP research. This conference brings together the brightest minds in AI and NLP, creating an unparalleled opportunity for dialogue and innovation," he stated.

The upcoming conference follows the successful hosting of another major event in Abu Dhabi—the 2022 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing (EMNLP). That event was organised by NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in collaboration with MBZUAI. This highlights Abu Dhabi's growing role as a hub for AI research.

Professor Timothy Baldwin, provost and professor of NLP at MBZUAI, highlighted the significance of COLING 2025 for showcasing Abu Dhabi's leadership in AI. He noted that MBZUAI aims to address regional linguistic challenges while pushing global AI research boundaries. "COLING 2025 is a dynamic platform for showcasing Abu Dhabi's growing leadership in AI, especially in natural language processing," he remarked.

The conference expects around 1,500 participants and will feature nine tutorials and 22 workshops. A notable addition is the First Winter School on Arabic Natural Language Processing and Computational Linguistics (CL), a two-day event aimed at enhancing skills in Arabic NLP and CL research.

Winter School on Arabic NLP

Professor Nizar Habash from NYUAD and MBZUAI is part of the local organising committee for the Winter School on Arabic NLP/CL. He explained that it will include expert-led tutorials, hands-on workshops, lectures, and poster sessions showcasing ongoing research. "The programme of the Winter School will include expert-led tutorials and lectures, hands-on workshops, and poster sessions featuring ongoing research and project proposals in the fields of Arabic NLP and CL," he commented.

Since its inception in 1965, COLING has been held biennially across various global locations. It attracts participants from top-ranked research centres as well as emerging countries. The conference continues to be a significant platform for advancing computational linguistics worldwide.

With inputs from WAM