HPC Serbia plays a central role in fostering regional cooperation throughout Southeast Europe by linking national competence centers, research institutions, and industry partners within the wider EuroCC and EuroHPC frameworks. Initiatives like EuroCC4SEE allow HPC Serbia to enhance cross-border collaborations in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven research. This regional effort facilitates knowledge sharing, joint training, and the integration of local infrastructures into European HPC and AI networks, granting researchers from Serbia and nearby countries access to advanced computational tools and expertise. By encouraging interoperability, open science, and sustainable digital progress, HPC Serbia helps create a unified and competitive regional HPC and AI ecosystem aligned with European goals.
Recently, we welcomed our colleagues from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgrade and took the opportunity to speak with Ana Lalović from the Verlab Institute and NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ana shared insights into the country’s growing HPC ecosystem. "High-performance computing is currently being developed in Bosnia and Herzegovina through a national competence center", she explained, adding that the NCC results from a partnership between Verlab Ltd and the Verlab Institute.
Despite facing certain challenges, the team has made significant progress in promoting HPC awareness. "We are trying to raise awareness about its benefits. In 2024, we organized 12 workshops, with more than 500 participants", Ana said, emphasizing the center's outreach and educational activities.
One of the NCC's early achievements involves collaboration with Bosnalijek, the leading pharmaceutical company in the country. "We provided consultancy services for Bosnalijek in advanced molecular dynamics simulations. The main goal was to enhance the drugs that already exist, for better efficacy and stability", she noted.
Looking ahead, the NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina is also investing in education and research development. "We co-created two project proposals, and one of them is for developing and implementing master's and PhD programs. We hope that it will be funded soon", Ana concluded, highlighting the NCC's commitment to building a sustainable HPC community in the region.
Europe is making increasing efforts to develop experts in HPC, recognizing its importance for digital transformation and the sustainability of key economic sectors. In this context, the EUMaster4HPC program was launched, aiming to create a unified European master’s degree focused on HPC, High-Performance Data Analytics (HPDA), and AI.
This ambitious initiative brings together leading European universities, research centers, and industry partners to unify existing educational programs into a common curriculum. Through innovative teaching methods, including co-teaching and collaborative content development supported by top HPC experts, students gain knowledge directly applicable to both science and industry.
Ana highlighted that one of the main goals of the program is to promote HPC education among students: "Our tasks will be to share information about this project and to encourage students to enroll in courses and programs related to HPC at some of the leading European institutions", Lalović said.
The EUMaster4HPC program offers numerous benefits to students from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Above all, it provides access to top-tier European education and direct collaboration with supercomputing centers across the continent. A strong emphasis is placed on mobility, enabling students to participate in exchanges, internships, and research projects in different European countries.
