The Role of HPC in Addressing Demanding Challenges in Science and Business
(Zagreb, November 10, 2023) The Croatian Center of Competence for High Performance Computing Day was held on November 8 at Srce and brought together national and European experts in the field of high-performance computing (HPC).
The event program began with introductory remarks by Srce director Ivan Marić, who emphasized the importance of high-performance computing for the development of science, economy, and society as a whole. Jelena Ilić Dreven from the Ministry of Science and Education also spoke, highlighting the ministry's continuous support for the work of the Croatian Center of Competence for HPC and the development and application of HPC in Croatia.
Presentations on the topic "HPC in Europe - Status and Plans for the Future" followed, delivered by Klara Meštrović from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) and Natalie Lewandowski from the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart, coordinator of the National Competence Centres project within the framework of EuroHPC Phase 2 - EuroCC 2. Klara Meštrović emphasized that EuroHPC JU has made seven supercomputers available in Europe, with free access for users from the academic community, public administration, and industry (SMEs). Natalie Lewandowski explained that expert teams from the network of national competence centers for HPC in more than 30 countries are available for the necessary HPC education and assistance in applying for the use of supercomputers in Europe and Croatia.
The work of the Croatian Center of Competence for HPC was presented by all five partners from Croatia. They highlighted the advantages of working on supercomputers and agreed that, in practice, HPC has accelerated many processes in research and facilitated innovations. Partners also emphasized the importance of providing support from HPC experts to companies in the application and use of HPC technology, without which a stronger application of HPC is inconceivable.
The Croatian Center of Competence for High Performance Computing Day program also included a roundtable discussion on "The Role of HPC in Addressing Demanding Challenges in Science and Business". The discussion was moderated by Srce's deputy director, Dobriša Dobrenić.
The Croatian Center of Competence for High Performance Computing (HR HPC CC) is a place where users from the science and higher education system, industry, and public administration have access to innovative solutions and contribute to strengthening existing and developing new competencies in the field of high-performance computing.
The center was established and operates within the framework of the EuroCC and EuroCC 2 projects funded by the EU and national funds, aligning with the goals of the EuroHPC initiative. The consortium of Croatian institutions, led by the University of Zagreb University Computing Centre (Srce), with the support of the Ministry of Science and Education, manages the center. Other members of the consortium include the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology Osijek of the University of J.J. Strossmayer in Osijek (FERIT), the Technical Faculty of the University of Rijeka (RITEH), the Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB), and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Naval Architecture of the University of Split (FESB).
