New notebooks or improvements

• Update jupyter dep to accomodate Colab by @miguelgfierro in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2108
• Update cornac_bivae_deep_dive.ipynb: fix typos by @martin0258 in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2104
• Correct variable used in pickle dump in mind_utils.ipynb by @ubergonmx in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2158

Other features

• Fix issues with numpy by @daviddavo in #2113 #2120
• Update setup instructions #2080 #2181
• Added ideas and guidelines for new contributors by @miguelgfierro in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2103
• Set scipy <= 1.13.1 by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2127
• Added free course on Recommendation systems by @miguelgfierro in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2135
• Add reference to scenarios to README.md by @anargyri in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2093
• Documentation improvement and typos #2102 #2109 #2096 #2130
• Updated Issue Template with "Willingness to Contribute" Section for issue #2032 by @sumana-2705 in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2123
• Moved pymanopt tests to experimental test group #2138 by @daviddavo in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2139
• Migrate AML SDK from v1 to v2 by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2134
• Update dev container by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2157
• Improve GitHub actions #2159 #2190 #2197
• Update service principal role to AzureML Compute Operator for improved security by @miguelgfierro in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2169
• Update the code of conduct by @miguelgfierro in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2177
• Use managed identity with OpenID Connect for Azure login by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2182
• Merge multiple Dockerfiles into a single one by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2167
• Install sbt for sarplus tests by @SimonYansenZhao in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2192

New Contributors

• @martin0258 made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2104
• @Kingston257 made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2109
• @sumana-2705 made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2123
• @siyerp made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2143
• @ubergonmx made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2158
• @ved93 made their first contribution in https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/pull/2181

Full Changelog: https://github.com/recommenders-team/recommenders/compare/1.2.0...1.2.1