From Deep Learning to Transformers: Foundations of Modern LLMs

Introduction & Programme

Deep learning (DL) pertains to the field of artificial intelligence and is great at extracting and mastering the often highly non linear patterns of a given process, whatever this process might be. The only main requirement is the availability of a large amount of data that describes the behaviour of the process under different conditions and a truckload of computational power. With data collection becoming cheaper and computational power still following Moore’s law, fitting DL models that produce extremely useful predictions has become a practical reality.

While this family of models is broad, one particular architecture has reshaped the field of text analysis: the transformer. Transformers were originally introduced to overcome the limitations of earlier neural networks when dealing with sequential data such as text, where long range dependencies and contextual meaning matter. Their ability to process entire sequences in parallel and to model relationships between all words at once made them uniquely suited for language tasks.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are essentially very large transformer networks trained on massive text corpora. They represent a natural continuation of deep learning, but with capabilities—reasoning over text, summarising documents, generating explanations—that go far beyond what earlier DL architectures could achieve. Understanding LLMs therefore benefits from first understanding the deep learning principles on which they are built.

Preliminary Programme
Tuesday, 12 October 2026
09:00-11:00 Introduction and high-level view of DL models
11:00-11:30 Break
11:30-13:30 Deep dive and beginning extra topics

Wednesday, 13 October 2026
09:00-11:00 Continuing extra topics and transformers and LLMs
11:00-11:30 Break
11:30-13:30 Introduction to text analysis and practical Session in R, Q&A session

All the above times are given in CEST (Central European Summer Time).

Learning Objectives & Approach

The main purpose of this web session is to get the participants acquainted with DL models, and applications on text analysis will help achieve this. To this end, a healthy mix between theory and practice will be provided, however, it is important to note that some time will be spent to go through the theoretical foundations of neural networks and hence DL, as the inner workings of these models are a bit different from the ones of the classic statistical models.

Participants

The practical sessions will make use of Keras, Tensorflow and R(Studio). Guidelines on how to install these tools on the participants’ own laptop will be provided several weeks prior to the beginning of the web session (*). When the applications of DL will be discussed, participants will have the choice to run the code in real-time her/himself on her/his own laptop during this part of the seminar, or to just follow on the screen. Technical support regarding the installation will be provided during the seminar, if necessary.

(*) prior to the online training, we will supply the participants with an exhaustive list of packages/libraries that need to be installed additionally to the above tools, as well as a description of how to install them.

Technical Requirements
Please check with your IT department if your firewall and computer settings support web session participation (the programme Zoom will be used for this online training). Please also make sure to join the web session with a stable internet connection.

Lecturers

Robin Van Oirbeek
Robin, after having worked as an actuarial statistician/data scientist for different companies, is now working as Senior Data Scientist at Ageas Re. He is also a former invited lecturer at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen) and at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve (UCLouvain). 

Language & CPD Credits

The language of the web session will be English.

CPD Credits
For this web session, the following CPD credits are available under the CPD scheme of the relevant national actuarial association:

• Austria: 8 points
• Belgium:  8 points
• Bulgaria:  8 points
• Croatia: individual accreditation
• Czechia:  8 hours
• Denmark: 8 credits
• Estonia:  8 hours
• Finland: 6 points
• France:  48 points
• Germany:  8 hours
• Greece: 11 points
• Hungary:  8 hours
• Iceland: 8 credits
• Ireland: 8 hours
• Italy: individual accreditation
• Latvia: 8 hours
• Lithuania: 8 hours
• Netherlands:  approx. 8 points (individual accreditation)
• Norway: 8 points
• Poland: 8 hours
• Portugal: 8 hours
• Serbia: 8 hours
• Slovakia:  individual accreditation
• Slovenia:  individual accreditation
• Spain: CAC: 8 hours, IAE: 8 hours
• Switzerland:  individual accreditation
• USA: SOA (Section B): up to 9.6 hours

No responsibility is taken for the accuracy of this information.

Fees & Registration Details

Early Bird Registration Fee (until 31 August 2026):

• For private customers in the EU: €640.00 + VAT of the billing country (example Germany: €761.60 incl. 19% VAT)
• For private customers outside the EU: €761.60 (incl. 19% VAT)
• For businesses within the EU (excl. Germany, with valid VAT ID): €640.00 (net, reverse charge applies)
• For businesses in Germany: €761.60 (incl. 19% VAT)

Regular Registration Fee (from 1 September 2026):

• For private customers in the EU: €840.00+ VAT of the billing country (example Germany: €999.60 incl. 19% VAT)
• For private customers outside the EU: €999.60 (incl. 19% VAT)
• For businesses within the EU (excl. Germany, with valid VAT ID): €840.00 (net, reverse charge applies)
• For businesses in Germany: €999.60(incl. 19% VAT)

Important VAT Information:

• For private customers with a billing address in an EU country: VAT will be charged at the applicable rate in the country of the billing address. The final amount, including VAT, will be calculated upon invoicing.
• For customers with a non-EU (third country) billing address: Only a non-company billing address is accepted for VAT compliance reasons. 19% VAT applies to all non-EU private customers.
• For businesses within the EU (excluding Germany), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK with a valid VAT ID: The reverse charge mechanism applies (net price; VAT will not be charged). Please ensure your valid VAT ID is entered correctly during registration.
• For all customers with a billing address in Germany: 19% VAT applies.

Please submit your registration using our online form below. Closer to the event, you will receive further login details to join the web session.

Your registration is binding. Cancellation is only possible up to 2 weeks before the first day of the event. If you cancel later, the full participation fee is due. You may appoint someone to take your place but must notify us in advance. EAA has the right to cancel the event if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

We will send you an invoice via email. Please allow a few days for handling. Please always give your invoice number when you effect payment. All bank charges are to be borne by the participant.

Registration is open until two working days before the web session. If registration has already been closed for this web session, please call us or send an email to contact@actuarial-academy.com in order to find out whether a late registration is still possible.