In 2023, the University of Luxembourg launched a Master in High Performance Computing (MHPC) dedicated to the new challenges and needs related to high-performance computing.
Jean-Michel Gaudron
With the emergence of increasing needs for computing capacity, in the wake of the exponential development of applications using artificial intelligence, new computer skills are required. Among them are those that make it possible to master tools such as supercomputers, which, for maintenance or programming, require very different know-how from what can be found in "traditional" computing environments.
It is in this context that the University of Luxembourg launched a Master in High Performance Computing (MHPC) in 2023, in order to train new talent in this field. "This does not only concern subjects such as artificial intelligence, but also many other fields such as physics or chemistry that require such computing capabilities to advance science," explains Dr Pierre Talbot, co-director of the MHPC.
With this master's degree, the University of Luxembourg is one of the eight European universities that are members of the EUMaster4HPC consortium, created a year earlier under the impetus of the EuroHPC Joint undertaking, with a view to designing and implementing the first pan-European master's programme dedicated to high-performance computing.
The aim is to create a body of academic knowledge on HPC, based on mobility and the creation of a real community in Europe. "In the long term, the idea is to provide educational material that can be used free of charge by industry players," says Dr Talbot.
In the long term, the idea is to provide educational material that can be used free of charge by industry players.
Pierre Talbot, University of Luxembourg
Students who enrol at the MHPC will continue the two years of training at the University of Luxembourg, which leads to a "national" diploma. In parallel with the MHPC, the EUMaster4HPC allows students to follow one of their two years in one of the seven other institutions in the consortium, to then hold a double degree with a pan-European dimension.
"Depending on the university, the courses and specialisations offered vary during this second year. And between the two years, students must participate in a Summer School where they participate in workshops and can do an internship in a company, university or research centre," says Dr Talbot.
In close cooperation with the companies themselves, the MHPC programme is continuously refined and adapted. "We are really only at the beginning of the cooperation that can be developed between industry and HPC. For the time being, not all companies that would be likely to rely on supercomputers do so, due to the lack of skills and talent," notes Dr Talbot.
More than 600 students applied to join the MHPC for the start of the 2024 academic year. The class has only 40 lucky participants, selected on the basis of their application. At the level of EUMaster4HPC, a dozen students will continue their studies in the second year at the University of Luxembourg in the next semester.
The specialisation in the second year is very artificial intelligence-oriented and addresses topics such as machine learning techniques and data visualisation.
Pierre Talbot, University of Luxembourg
"The skills of the students we train go beyond the sole theme of HPC. They are more like 'Swiss Army knife' profiles. The specialisation in the second year is very artificial intelligence-oriented and addresses topics such as machine learning techniques and data visualisation," adds Talbot.
While the MeluXina supercomputer is the Holy Grail in Luxembourg, MHPC students can already get their hands dirty and perfect their learning on the high-performance computer AION at the University. It boasts a maximum performance of around 1.70 petaflops, which can be increased to 2.8 petaflops by combining it with the previous supercomputer, Iris.
The Master in High Performance Computing perfectly complements the landscape of university courses revolving around the data economy. There are also:
Image by Innova Labs from Pixabay
