Digital Project Meeting 2026
Current Developments, Shared Reflections and Future Perspectives for HPC.nrw
On November 9, 2026, 60 members of the HPC.nrw Competence Network gathered for the annual digital project meeting. Alongside the annual in-person meeting, this event provides an important opportunity for members to connect, exchange experiences and strengthen collaboration across the network. The meeting focused on current project developments and future perspectives, with particular emphasis on progress in expanding the state-wide HPC infrastructure and reflecting on project activities and results to date.
hpcCluster.nrw: Status and Outlook on the Development of the state-wide Tier 3 Systems
A key focus of the project meeting was the current status of the development of hpcCluster.nrw and an outlook on the next steps in 2027. The aim of hpcCluster.nrw is to consolidate Tier 3 HPC resources in North Rhine-Westphalia at four locations and make the best possible use of synergies and economies of scale. To this end, a general hpcBasisCluster.nrw is being established at the University of Cologne. It will be complemented by three specialised hpcFachCluster.nrw, each focusing on specific subject areas, at the locations of Paderborn, Aachen and Duisburg-Essen (representing the University Alliance Ruhr).
The developments at the four operating locations were also discussed during the project meeting. In addition to the respective status of infrastructure development, particular attention was given to the next steps towards commissioning and the corresponding timelines for 2027 and 2028. The updates from the four work packages complemented this overview with insights into the project's substantive work. They highlighted how the activities and responsibilities within the HPC.nrw network are evolving as hpcCluster.nrw is being developed, and how collaboration between the locations will be shaped in the future.
SciCoCo.nrw 2026: Looking Back at the First Edition of the New Event Series
The project members also looked back on the first edition of SciCoCo.nrw, which took place from 21 to 23 September 2026 at the IT Center of RWTH Aachen University. The discussion focused on the feedback on the event programme and the experiences gained during its organisation and delivery. With keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, a poster session and Birds of a Feather sessions, SciCoCo.nrw 2026 offered a diverse programme covering High-Performance Computing, Research Data Management, Research Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. The vision of the event series is to bring people from different scientific computing communities together across their respective boundaries, foster exchange and create new connections.
User Survey 2026: Understanding User Perspectives and Needs
The first results of the 2026 HPC.nrw user survey, which is conducted every two years, were also presented and discussed during the project meeting. The survey provides an important basis for understanding users' experiences and needs and incorporating them into the ongoing development of HPC.nrw's services and offerings. The full results will also be made publicly available in the near future.
Shaping the Next Steps Together
The project meeting provided an opportunity to bring together different perspectives, exchange experiences and consider the next steps collectively. Ongoing dialogue within the network is an important foundation for the needs-based development of the state-wide HPC infrastructure and its associated support services, helping to strengthen high-performance computing across North Rhine-Westphalia in the long term.