High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart and EPCC agree to strengthen collaboration

^{Above: Bastian Koller, Managing Director of the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS), and Mark Parsons, Director of EPCC, sign the memorandum of understanding.}

In a meeting held this week at the SC25 Conference in St Louis, Missouri, the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) and EPCC at the University of Edinburgh signed a formal memorandum of understanding that will enable closer collaboration. 

Together, the centres will focus on a wide range of topics that will shape the future of high-performance computing (HPC). These include numerical algorithms and emerging computer technologies for engineering applications, energy efficiency in supercomputing, quantum computing, technology transfer, and the provisioning of AI services within the framework of the European AI Factories programme. Building on their complementary strengths and expertise, the partnership will support staff exchange, joint research and education projects, the development of professional services, and collaborations with industry. 

HLRS and EPCC share the distinction of being the first national supercomputing centres to be established in Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively. They have also enjoyed a long history of successful cooperation focused on improving access to and usage of HPC technologies in industry, in particular by SMEs and startups in the context of the Fortissimo project series. More recently, the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) announced the creation of the UK AI Factory Antenna at EPCC. Under this arrangement, EPCC is collaborating with HammerHAI — a EuroHPC JU AI Factory coordinated by HLRS — to bring high-performance AI capabilities to research and industry.

HLRS Managing Director Dr Bastian Koller and EPCC Director Prof. Mark Parsons signed the new collaboration agreement in St. Louis on behalf of the two national supercomputing centres.