Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EUROCC (National Competence Centres in the framework of EuroHPC)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-09-01 al 2022-12-31
In many areas from academia, industry but also public administration, the use of numerical modelling and simulation - including data management, analysis and visualisation - is becoming more and more important. HPC alone or HPC in combination with HPDA and AI provide the means to tackle not only large, complex problems but also to widen further the use and uptake of these technologies in academia, public administrations and industry. Thus, a symbiotic cooperation needs to be established, where the stakeholders of HPC infrastructures, services and expertise are encouraged to improve their service portfolio based on their customers’ needs and thus to help the end users with a maximum of efficiency in their respective domains.
The aim of the EuroCC project is the establishment and support of the operation of National Competence Centres (NCCs) in the EuroHPC JU Participating States. Thereby the NCCs should consider their national level of existing activities and the requirements of their potential users (from academia, public administration and industry) to design and implement the NCC as a national single reference point. Besides this, the NCCs should in the long term create a network providing a European support structure based on strongly interconnected NCCs to enable and support academia, public sector and industry (especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)) to benefit from the advantages of available HPC expertise, experience and resources in Europe.
The aim of the EuroCC project is the establishment and support of the operation of National Competence Centres (NCCs) in the EuroHPC JU Participating States. Thereby the NCCs should consider their national level of existing activities and the requirements of their potential users (from academia, public administration and industry) to design and implement the NCC as a national single reference point. Besides this, the NCCs should in the long term create a network providing a European support structure based on strongly interconnected NCCs to enable and support academia, public sector and industry (especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)) to benefit from the advantages of available HPC expertise, experience and resources in Europe.
During the framework of the second half (M13-M28), EuroCC has achieved the following main results:
• The NCCs have strengthened their position in their national landscapes as contact points for all HPC, HPDA and AI-related inquiries from users (see also Section 8.3 with the Assessment of the NCCs and the current data for their collaborations)
• The network between the NCCs has been strengthened and widened due to an increasing number of collaborations, mentoring, twinning and workshop activities.
• The shared workspace server has been continuously filled with materials by the NCCs and CASTIEL partners and all necessary management and quality assurance (QA) mechanisms have been established and provided. These are described in the regularly updated deliverable D1.1 “Project Management Handbook”. Furthermore, the Data Management Plan is described in D1.4 “Data Management Plan”. Aspects of GDPR for the project website are described in CASTIEL’s D5.3 “The CASTIEL Website”.
• Collaboration between EUROCC and CASTIEL was taken forward and intensified through regular Working Group meetings of the CASTIEL partners and also live meetings of both project members (e.g. at the 2nd project phase planning meeting in Frankfurt on April 28th 2022, or the EuroCC-CASTIEL conference in Budva, Montenegro from Sept 6th-9th 2022). The goal of the continued interaction between the two projects is to strengthen contact points along the whole network of NCCs for stakeholders, where knowledge and consultation on HPC and related topics can also be obtained across national borders.
• Work on the impact and sustainability of the project has continued with the refinement and continuous content updates of the EUROCC-ACCESS website. The formulated clear plans for the dissemination and collaboration activities of the project were followed and where necessary adjusted. For more details, please check CASTIEL deliverables D5.5 “Final Report on Communication and Dissemination” and D5.7 “Final Report on Innovation Management and Exploitation”.
• The NCCs were more intensively involved in the European ecosystem. An increasing number of positive results from the collaboration with industry and other actors have been achieved.
Dissemination and Exploitation results:
The work related to dissemination and communication focussed on the communication of information about the CASTIEL project and the national competence centres (NCCs) from EuroCC, to support the communication teams in the NCCs, to create and maintain the web-platform EuroCC ACCESS and to keep track of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in CASTIEL. The work on the project communication from year one was expanded and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set in the Grant Agreement (GA) have all been met. One main focus of the second period was the in-person event participation, which was not possible in year one. Furthermore, more content was sourced from the NCCs in the form of success stories so that the NCCs visibility was enhanced. The first project conference in Montenegro was organised and also promoted through the EuroCC newsletter. The EuroCC newsletter appears on a weekly basis and is sent to all EuroCC members. It contains general information that is important for all NCCs, as well as details about current and upcoming events, workshops and deadlines.
• The NCCs have strengthened their position in their national landscapes as contact points for all HPC, HPDA and AI-related inquiries from users (see also Section 8.3 with the Assessment of the NCCs and the current data for their collaborations)
• The network between the NCCs has been strengthened and widened due to an increasing number of collaborations, mentoring, twinning and workshop activities.
• The shared workspace server has been continuously filled with materials by the NCCs and CASTIEL partners and all necessary management and quality assurance (QA) mechanisms have been established and provided. These are described in the regularly updated deliverable D1.1 “Project Management Handbook”. Furthermore, the Data Management Plan is described in D1.4 “Data Management Plan”. Aspects of GDPR for the project website are described in CASTIEL’s D5.3 “The CASTIEL Website”.
• Collaboration between EUROCC and CASTIEL was taken forward and intensified through regular Working Group meetings of the CASTIEL partners and also live meetings of both project members (e.g. at the 2nd project phase planning meeting in Frankfurt on April 28th 2022, or the EuroCC-CASTIEL conference in Budva, Montenegro from Sept 6th-9th 2022). The goal of the continued interaction between the two projects is to strengthen contact points along the whole network of NCCs for stakeholders, where knowledge and consultation on HPC and related topics can also be obtained across national borders.
• Work on the impact and sustainability of the project has continued with the refinement and continuous content updates of the EUROCC-ACCESS website. The formulated clear plans for the dissemination and collaboration activities of the project were followed and where necessary adjusted. For more details, please check CASTIEL deliverables D5.5 “Final Report on Communication and Dissemination” and D5.7 “Final Report on Innovation Management and Exploitation”.
• The NCCs were more intensively involved in the European ecosystem. An increasing number of positive results from the collaboration with industry and other actors have been achieved.
Dissemination and Exploitation results:
The work related to dissemination and communication focussed on the communication of information about the CASTIEL project and the national competence centres (NCCs) from EuroCC, to support the communication teams in the NCCs, to create and maintain the web-platform EuroCC ACCESS and to keep track of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in CASTIEL. The work on the project communication from year one was expanded and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set in the Grant Agreement (GA) have all been met. One main focus of the second period was the in-person event participation, which was not possible in year one. Furthermore, more content was sourced from the NCCs in the form of success stories so that the NCCs visibility was enhanced. The first project conference in Montenegro was organised and also promoted through the EuroCC newsletter. The EuroCC newsletter appears on a weekly basis and is sent to all EuroCC members. It contains general information that is important for all NCCs, as well as details about current and upcoming events, workshops and deadlines.
The National Competence Centres (NCCs), as implemented in EuroCC are providing an important pillar of the realization of the EuroHPC JU's overall objective, an activity to innovate and widen the HPC use and skills base all over Europe.
The NCCs are implemented in a way, which maintains existing excellence in HPC, HPDA and AI, whilst also addressing current gaps on a national level to enhance the offered services for academia, industry and public administration across Europe. EuroCC brings together most of the European countries and bases on a commitment by the participating states which shows a clear strategical thinking in each of the nations.
These lead organisations mandated by the countryies' governments are the partners of this project and they are the ones, which bring together experts on a national level to set up the Competence Centre. Within EuroCC each nation is represented as a work package on its own, which follows a global strategy (provided as a template of task) and thus simplifies the set up and ensures focused evolution. One important task is the identification of the national stakeholders in HPC, HPDA and AI and thus to create a competence map, which helps to elaborate on national synergies.Furthermore the common structure of the NCCs simplifies the interaction with the Coordination and Support Action (CSA) CASTIEL, which creates e.g. a European Competence Map and paves the way for interaction with industry or training. This leverages collaborations between different nations to efficiently address skill gaps and to close them.
The expertise mapping, the improved training and the knowledge sharing, also with regard to new technologies, and in general a close interaction with potential end users creates and promotes a European environment where European Technology providers and HPC end users share expertise and best practices.
The following impacts six were identified in the second part of the EuroCC project:
Contribution to the realization of the EuroHPC overall and specific objectives
Promoting the use of HPC at national level by identifying relevant users and matching their needs with the available expertise in the HPC Competence Centres
Effective establishment of a wide range of HPC services (as referred in the scope of this objective)
Provision of leading-edge, innovative solutions for targeted regional / national industries/ applications
Provision of support to interested end users that are/will use HPC and HPDA in their daily business
Contribute in ensuring European technological autonomy in this field
The NCCs are implemented in a way, which maintains existing excellence in HPC, HPDA and AI, whilst also addressing current gaps on a national level to enhance the offered services for academia, industry and public administration across Europe. EuroCC brings together most of the European countries and bases on a commitment by the participating states which shows a clear strategical thinking in each of the nations.
These lead organisations mandated by the countryies' governments are the partners of this project and they are the ones, which bring together experts on a national level to set up the Competence Centre. Within EuroCC each nation is represented as a work package on its own, which follows a global strategy (provided as a template of task) and thus simplifies the set up and ensures focused evolution. One important task is the identification of the national stakeholders in HPC, HPDA and AI and thus to create a competence map, which helps to elaborate on national synergies.Furthermore the common structure of the NCCs simplifies the interaction with the Coordination and Support Action (CSA) CASTIEL, which creates e.g. a European Competence Map and paves the way for interaction with industry or training. This leverages collaborations between different nations to efficiently address skill gaps and to close them.
The expertise mapping, the improved training and the knowledge sharing, also with regard to new technologies, and in general a close interaction with potential end users creates and promotes a European environment where European Technology providers and HPC end users share expertise and best practices.
The following impacts six were identified in the second part of the EuroCC project:
Contribution to the realization of the EuroHPC overall and specific objectives
Promoting the use of HPC at national level by identifying relevant users and matching their needs with the available expertise in the HPC Competence Centres
Effective establishment of a wide range of HPC services (as referred in the scope of this objective)
Provision of leading-edge, innovative solutions for targeted regional / national industries/ applications
Provision of support to interested end users that are/will use HPC and HPDA in their daily business
Contribute in ensuring European technological autonomy in this field