ELLIS Unit NRW
ELLIS — the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems — is a pan-European AI network of excellence that connects leading researchers in machine learning and artificial intelligence across Europe. The network currently brings together thousands of members, dozens of sites, cross-border research programs, and a Europe-wide PhD and postdoc community.
TU Dortmund University is part of the newly established ELLIS Unit North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), founded on 1 April 2026. The unit connects leading AI institutions across NRW and aims to establish a unified, world-class ecosystem for machine learning research in the state. Participating institutions include TU Dortmund University, the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen University, Ruhr University Bochum, the University of Cologne, Bielefeld University, Paderborn University, and Forschungszentrum Jülich.
The ELLIS Unit NRW focuses on open, trustworthy, and high-impact AI research. Its research agenda includes open-source foundation models, trustworthy foundation models for rare events and high-impact domains, and embodied AI applications in areas such as home-care and sustainable agriculture.
TU Dortmund University is represented in the unit by Prof. Dr. Katharina Eggensperger, who serves as one of the Unit Directors. At TU Dortmund, the local ELLIS activities will connect researchers, early-career scientists, students, and partners through scientific exchange, community building, and events.
More information can be found here.