Statistical Machine Learning (Summer term 2026)

Start-of-term-FAQ

  • Q: Do I need to register? A: Yes, on the Ilias platform, here is the registration link.
  • Q: Some of the material is password-protected. A: yes, you will get the password in the first lecture.
  • Q: I am an exchange student, or a student from a different degree program. Can I take part? A: Yes, if you have enough background knowledge. Q: How do I know? A: if in doubt, please approach me at the end of the first lecture (not by email).
  • Q: Can I participate remotely? A: No, the lectures will not be streamed / recorded, and attendance in the weekly tutorials is mandatory.
  • I have another question ... Ideally, please ask me at the end of the first lecture. Please don't send lots of questions by email.

Setup

What: Statistical Machine Learning, 9 CP
Lecturer: Prof. Ulrike von Luxburg
When and where: Lecture takes place Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:15 - 9:45, lecture hall A2, ground floor, Maria-von-Linden-Strasse 1. First lecture is on April 14. Tutorials: start in the second week of term.

Background information

This course is intended for the students of the master programs in machine learning or computer science or related degrees. It requires a solid understanding of maths, for example as taught in the course on Mathematics of Machine Learning: Linear algebra, Mulitvariate analysis, Probability Theory, Statistics, Optimization. The course is not recommended for students without this background. We also assume that students can program in python.

This lecture is going to be substantially revised and the contents shift quite a bit, compared to the last time I taught it. While the old lecture notes and the old videos still exist, you need to use the new lecture notes and attend the lectures in person to get the new content. The exam will be about the new content of course.

Info sheet about the logistics of the lecture: link

Registration

You need to register for this class on Ilias: registration link.

Slides

Tutorials

We will have weekly tutorial sessions, you will be assigned to one of the following groups: The teaching assistants are: The group assigments are now online: group_assignments.txt Now, all groups are roughly at capacity. To switch your group you first have to find a switching partner from one of the other groups.

Assignments

  • will be posted here

Exam modalities

To be admitted to the exam you need to need to achieve at least 50% of the points in the homework assignments, AND you need to attend at least 9 out of 12 tutorial sessions in person (documented by your signatures). If you have already tried the exam 2025 and failed, you can take the exam this year without earning a new exam admission (but we advise you do it, as it will prepare you for the exam). Exam admissions of 2024 or earlier are no longer valid.

The exam is written. There will be two exams, one at the end of term, the second one before the next term starts. The dates will be fixed by a central process and are no known yet. You can choose which exam to take, both will have the same difficulty. But note that there won't be a third exam nor oral exams: if you skip the first exam and fail the second one, you would need to wait for next summer term to take the exam again.

Online feedback form

We want to know what you like / do not like about the lecture! You can tell us anonymously with the following feedback form. The more concrete and constructive the feedback, the higher the likelihood that we can adapt to it.