Call for Workshops

The CP conference is the premier annual international conference on constraint programming. It is concerned with all aspects of computing with constraints, including but not limited to algorithms, environments, languages, models, systems, theory, and applications such as decision making, resource allocation, configuration, planning, and scheduling.

We invite proposals for workshops preceding the main conference program of CP 2018, which will be held in Lille (France) from 27 to 31 August 2018.

The purpose of the CP workshops is to provide an informal venue in which participants can:

  • explore specific research areas in depth,
  • discuss new research directions,
  • study specific application areas of CP, or
  • bring together researchers from different fields with shared interests.

In previous years, workshop topics included data analytics, smart cities, packing & placement, cloud computing, configuration, teaching, testing & verification, bioinformatics, constraint-based modelling, CP solvers, cross-fertilisation with other solving technologies, etc. We encourage proposals for workshops on new topics, especially multi-disciplinary ones.

We particularly encourage workshops that break away from the tradition of reviewing (“publishing”) and presenting submitted papers: instead, the better attended workshops tended to foster much more interaction by having several invited talks, if not introductory or specialist tutorials, and/or presentations selected only on the basis of brief submitted abstracts. We encourage any other innovations that are likely to increase the audience and interaction.

All workshops will take place at the site of the main conference, and follow either a half-day format or a full-day format.

Incubator Workshop

The Association for Constraint Programming (ACP) will provide a sponsorship for an Incubator Workshop. An Incubator Workshop should address a promising novel topic, be multi-disciplinary in nature, and have the aim to broaden the application of CP or deepen its methodologies. The ACP will make 1,500 euros available for this purpose.

The call for Incubator Workshop will be issued by the ACP. Workshop organizers who want to apply as an Incubator Workshop should check the ACP specific call and follow its guidelines, and also submit their Workshop as described below.

Important Dates (for proposers of Workshop)

  • April 8 - Workshop proposal submission deadline,
  • April 15 - Workshop acceptance notification,
  • May 13 - Workshop webpage available on CP website,
  • May 13 - First call for papers (or abstracts, participation…),
  • July - (TBD) Early registration deadline (accepted speakers must have received notifications),
  • August 27 - CP 2018 Workshops.

Proposal Format

Each workshop proposal should include the following information, in a single PDF file or in plain text:

  • Title
  • Abstract outlining the goals and scope of the workshop
  • Description of the target audience
  • Motivation for running the workshop at CP 2018
  • If the workshop also applies as Incubator workshop, motivation for this
  • Estimate of the number/list of (invited) speakers, tutors, and participants
  • History of the workshop (if applicable), with the number of applications and the number of attendees (if available)
  • Tentative duration of the workshop: half day or full day
  • Relevant chairing experience of the main organizers (if any)
  • Organizing committee members (if already known)
  • Contact information of the main organizers

The Workshop Chair will acknowledge receipt of the proposal.

Responsibilities of the Workshop Organizers

The workshop organizers are responsible for:

  • Creating several calls for abstracts (or papers) and calls for participation, and distributing them on specialist channels not used by the Publicity Chair of CP 2018.
  • The call for abstracts (or papers), if any, must clearly describe the review & selection process and indicate that at least one author of every accepted abstract (or paper) must attend the workshop and pay the workshop fee; otherwise the presentation (and paper) will be withdrawn from the proceedings, if any, and program.
  • Creating and publishing, in a timely manner, a webpage at the CP 2018 website, including all the relevant calls and information pertaining to the workshop.
  • Providing a short description for the conference program.
  • Reviewing and selecting abstract (or paper) submissions.
  • Scheduling the presentations within the workshop.

It should be noted that the conference organization does not budget for free registration, accommodation, or travel expenses for the workshop organizers or their invited speakers. The workshop organizers should therefore secure any source of funding or sponsorship deemed necessary for their invited speakers (if any).

Responsibilities of the CP 2018 Organizing Committee

The responsibility of the conference organization is to:

  • Provide publicity for the workshop program as a whole,
  • Provide logistics at the conference venue (meeting room, catering, etc.),
  • Coordinate the allocation of time blocks for each workshop,
  • Collect the workshop fees covering the rental and catering costs,
  • Publicize the workshop calls with the help of the Publicity Chair.

Submission Process

Please send your proposal of Workshop by email to the CP 2018 Workshop Chair (Sébastien Tabary - tabary@cril.fr).