NCC for HPC at ASHPC25: Strengthening European Partnerships
From May 19 to 22, 2025, representatives of the Slovak National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing (NCC for HPC) attended the prestigious international conference Austrian-Slovenian HPC Meeting 2025 (ASHPC25), held in the picturesque setting of Rimske Terme, Slovenia.
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.
