Category: General

The collaboration focuses on creating new opportunities for companies and institutions with ties to France – whether they are French businesses operating in Slovakia or organizations employing experts with experience in the French academic or research environment. An important aspect of the partnership will also be the support of mobility and exchange programmes, enabling the sharing of know-how and the development of sustainable cooperation networks.

High-performance computing plays a key role in addressing complex research and industrial challenges – from the development of new materials and climate modeling to advanced applications of artificial intelligence. It is precisely in this area that Slovak and French partners see significant potential for joint growth and capacity sharing, whether through access to supercomputing infrastructure, the development of software solutions, or support for small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation.

The beginning of this strategic dialogue opens the door to long-term cooperation, with the ambition not only to strengthen scientific and research ties between Slovakia and France, but also to contribute to building a competitive European landscape in the field of digital technologies and computational power.

The launch of this strategic dialogue paves the way for long-term cooperation, aiming not only to strengthen scientific and research connections between Slovakia and France, but also to contribute to the development of a competitive European ecosystem in digital technologies and high-performance computing.

This cooperation thus represents an important step towards more effective use of scientific and innovation potential, the development of strong international ties, and the strengthening of both Slovakia’s and France’s position in the field of advanced digital technologies.

In her presentation titled “Computational Modelling and High Performance Computing Driven Innovation in the Development of Polymeric Materials in the Context of the European Competence Centre Framework”, she introduced the potential of high-performance computing (HPC) in the modelling and development of innovative polymeric materials. She also emphasized the importance of collaboration within the European network of competence centres for HPC.

Participation in the event strengthened the connection between the industrial and academic sectors and highlighted the growing importance of HPC solutions for sustainable materials development in the context of the circular economy and innovations in the automotive sector.

The conference proceedings, which also include the contribution by Lucia Malíčková..

The lecture provided insights into how the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) has been using the high-performance computing system NEC-LX (in operation since 2021), primarily for numerical weather prediction with the ALADIN model. Various configurations of the model and its broader applications were presented – including climatological and hydrological models, as well as models for air quality analysis and forecasting. The presentation also covered the processing of data from radars and satellites, along with a discussion on the potential for expanding HPC use to nowcasting, ensemble forecasting, and AI/ML techniques.

As part of our project, we are working to overcome this barrier for the Slovak language through several strategies that may also offer methodological insights for other low-resource languages:

• Generating Bilingual Datasets: Using a carefully curated database of professionally edited Slovak books, we employ the LLaMA 3.3 70B Instruct model to translate texts into English and then back into Slovak. This process allows us to create two datasets—one for training a compact open-source model for English-to-Slovak translation, and another for improving the quality of machine-translated Slovak.
• Summarizing Scientific Texts: Using Gemini Flash Experimental and the PLOS scientific database, we generate summaries of scientific articles in Slovak. This dataset supports the training of Slovak LLMs in the area of specialized scientific terminology.
• Enhancing Cultural Context: Although models like DeepSeek and ChatGPT perform relatively well in Slovak, they struggle with culturally specific and contextual topics related to Slovakia. We plan to synthesize texts from Slovak sources to create a dataset that fills this gap.

Date and Time: June 11, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 CEST
Venue: online
Language:   English
Speaker: Marek Dobeš
Co-authors: Radovan Garabík and Peter Bednár
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Our aim is to mitigate the data scarcity for the Slovak language and enhance the performance of LLMs in terms of linguistic accuracy, scientific discourse, and cultural relevance. We believe that the approaches explored in this case study may inspire similar efforts for other low-resource languages.

This research is conducted on high-performance infrastructure — specifically, the Slovak national supercomputer Devana and. Leonardo one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers operated by Cineca in Italy. These platforms enable us to process multilingual datasets, train models at scale, and test advanced LLM techniques with resource efficiency.

Although our case study focuses on Slovak, the methods and tools we are developing are broadly applicable to other underrepresented languages around the world. We warmly invite collaborators from all countries — not only from Central Europe or Italy, but from any region where a lack of language data poses a barrier to AI development. Our project demonstrates how European collaboration and shared use of supercomputing resources can open up new possibilities for inclusive, multilingual language modeling — especially for countries that have so far had limited opportunities to contribute to the creation of multilingual language models.

During the intensive discussions, the partners focused primarily on current challenges and opportunities in the field of international cooperation, with particular attention given to:

• the exchange of best practices in reaching target audiences,
• the organization of joint training sessions and activities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
• the sharing of successful case studies (“success stories”) and the preparation of their coordinated presentation,
• the planning of joint cross-border events.

The meeting also contributed to the alignment of communication and dissemination strategies of both centres, with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of outreach regarding the benefits of high-performance computing among both expert and general audiences. The participants appreciated the opportunity for an in-person meeting, which helped strengthen inter-institutional ties and opened up new areas of potential collaboration.

EuroCC Slovakia a EuroCC Czech Republic deklarovali záujem o pokračovanie spoločných iniciatív, ktorých cieľom je systematicky rozvíjať kompetencie v oblasti HPC a posilňovať regionálnu synergiu medzi národnými centrami v rámci európskeho HPC ekosystému.

The discussion also addressed the challenges and opportunities that AI presents for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the possibilities for effectively implementing solutions based on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. One of the main speakers was Lucia Malíčková, who represented the National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC) and the National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing (NCC for HPC). In her presentation, she outlined specific examples of AI applications across various sectors, as well as the services and support that NSCC and NCC provide to companies in adopting innovative and digital solutions. She also emphasized the opportunities for Slovak enterprises to engage in European initiatives related to AI and supercomputing.

The event took place within the framework of the BrAIn project – Bringing Artificial Intelligence towards SMEs, which is funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme. The project supports digitalization and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises across the Danube region by facilitating knowledge transfer in the field of artificial intelligence.

The National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC), together with the National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing (NCC for HPC), provides professional support, consulting services, and access to advanced technologies for businesses interested in leveraging artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. This assistance enables companies to implement innovative solutions effectively. These institutions also organize expert events, workshops, and tailored consultations focused on addressing the specific needs of small and medium-sized enterprises during their digital transformation journey.

FF+ is an ambitious European project aimed at accelerating digital transformation and promoting sustainability in manufacturing. The project’s goal is to connect manufacturing companies with digital innovation hubs and centres of excellence across Europe. At the same time, FF+ provides a framework for collaboration at the European level, which is essential for the effective sharing of knowledge, technologies, and best practices among EU member states.

The National Competence Centre for HPC in Slovakia has long focused on supporting industrial digitalisation through high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. Its goal is to enable Slovak companies – including SMEs – to harness the potential of modern technologies for innovation, increased efficiency, and reduced time-to-market for research and development. In this field, the NCC for HPC has experience in implementing pilot projects, providing technological consulting, and organising tailor-made training programs.

The meeting with the FF+ team at the ASHPC25 conference represented an important step towards building bridges between national and European initiatives. Both sides agreed on the need for further coordination and the development of collaboration. Specific opportunities for synergy were identified, such as involving industrial partners in testing and applying HPC solutions, as well as exchanging data models and algorithms between research and manufacturing entities.

ASHPC25 is an annual event that brings together HPC experts, users, and solution providers from across Europe, offering a platform for professional exchange on the latest developments, challenges, and trends in high-performance computing. The Slovak Competence Centre for HPC was represented at the conference by Halyna Hyryavets (communication activities and international cooperation), Božidara Pellegrini (innovation support and services for the private sector), and Tomáš Kollárik (educational activities and cooperation with academia). On the very first day of the event, a meeting of the Central European Working Group took place, bringing together national HPC competence centres from Central European countries. This session provided valuable space for exchanging experiences, identifying common challenges, and fostering synergies within the EuroCC project.

During the conference, the Slovak team actively participated in several expert discussions and bilateral meetings. Božidara Pellegrini led a working session with Tina Črnigoj, dissemination coordinator of the Future Factories Plus (FF+) project, focused on identifying synergies in supporting innovation, digital transformation, and the involvement of SMEs in adopting HPC, AI, and advanced technologies. Halyna Hyryavets and Božidara Pellegrini also held discussions with Karina Pešatová, founder of the Central European Chapter of Women in HPC, exploring opportunities for future collaboration. Tomáš Kollárik established new contacts with experts and potential trainers for the upcoming educational activities of the NCC, thereby strengthening the network of professionals in the fields of HPC and data analytics.

The working groups and panel sessions addressed several current topics, including access to EuroHPC JU computing resources, improving the efficiency and availability of training services, targeted communication towards diverse user groups, and supporting companies and startups in adopting HPC and data technologies. Discussions also covered the development of the AI Factories initiative, which represents a new impulse for strengthening European capacities in the field of artificial intelligence.

Participation in the ASHPC25 conference was highly beneficial for the Slovak team. It contributed to strengthening regional and European cooperation, establishing new partnerships, and deepening expert dialogue on the importance of HPC for research, public services, and business.

The National Competence Centre for HPC in Slovakia was represented at the meeting by Halyna Hyryavets, who is responsible for communication, marketing activities, and cross-border cooperation; Tomáš Kollárik, who oversees educational activities; and Božidara Pellegrini, who focuses on facilitating HPC services for the private sector and building partnerships with companies.

As part of the working discussions, we addressed several current topics. We focused on access to EuroHPC JU computing resources, discussed ways to improve training and educational services to better meet user needs, and also explored how to enhance the clarity and accessibility of information through targeted and clear communication.

An important topic of discussion was also the support for companies and startups in accessing HPC infrastructure. We shared our experiences and discussed joint initiatives at the European level. A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the AI Factories initiative, which represents a new impetus for the development of artificial intelligence in Europe and opens up further opportunities for Slovakia – whether in terms of access to computing capacity, support for innovation, or talent development (even though an AI Factory has not yet been established in Slovakia).

We are glad to have actively contributed to the expert discussions and shared our insights and experiences, which can help further strengthen the HPC ecosystem in the region. We see such in-person meetings as extremely valuable for coordination and effective collaboration across the entire EuroCC network.

We thank the organizers for a well-prepared event and look forward to continuing our joint activities that help bring high-performance computing closer to people, businesses, and institutions across Europe.

While traditional artificial intelligence models are trained to recognize objects from predefined categories (such as “dog,” “car,” or “tree”), modern research is shifting toward enabling machines to perceive any object as a distinct entity—even if that object has never appeared in the training data before. This advancement is particularly crucial in the field of robotics, where machines operate in unpredictable environments and must independently identify new and unfamiliar objects.

The lecture introduced several breakthrough technologies that make this advancement possible. The main topics included:

• the use of the DINO model (2021), which was trained without the need for annotated data and enables a humanoid robot to direct its attention to relevant parts of a scene,
• the use of the CUTLER model (2023) and the MaskCut method, which operates on the principle of optimizing the image's graph structure (NCut) and enables efficient object segmentation,
• new approaches to generating precise segmentation masks using neural network learning, which improve the accuracy of object localization and shape within an image.

In addition to the technological overview, the webinar also offered practical demonstrations of how these models are applied within a robotic system. Participants had the opportunity to gain insight into the research process and understand how theoretical knowledge is put into practice—from model training to deployment in real-world environments.

The event was intended for a broad expert audience—researchers, educators, PhD candidates, students, and professionals in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision. The high attendance and the number of questions during the discussion confirmed that this is a highly relevant and rapidly evolving area of research.

We thank everyone who participated in the webinar and trust that the knowledge gained will contribute to the continued advancement of research and innovation in this field.