Supercomputers have been extensively used to solve complex scientific and engineering problems, boosting the capability to design more efficient systems. The pace at which data are generated by scientific experiments and large simulations (e.g., multiphysics, climate, weather forecast, etc.) poses new challenges in terms of capability of efficiently and effectively analysing massive data sets. Artificial Intelligence, and more specifically Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) recently gained momentum for boosting simulations’ speed. ML/DL techniques are part of simulation processes, used to early detect patterns of interests from less accurate simulation results. To address these challenges, the ACROSS project will co-design and develop an HPC, BD, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) convergent platform, supporting applications in the Aeronautics, Climate and Weather, and Energy domains. To this end, ACROSS will leverage on next generation of pre-exascale infrastructures, still being ready for exascale systems, and on effective mechanisms to easily describe and manage complex workflows in these three domains. Energy efficiency will be achieved by massive use of specialized hardware accelerators, monitoring running systems and applying smart mechanisms of scheduling jobs. ACROSS will combine traditional HPC techniques with AI (specifically ML/DL) and BD analytic techniques to enhance the application test case outcomes (e.g., improve the existing operational system for global numerical weather prediction, climate simulations, develop an environment for user-defined in-situ data processing, improve and innovate the existing turbine aero design system, speed up the design process, etc.). The performance of ML/DL will be accelerated by using dedicated hardware devices. ACROSS will promote cooperation with other EU initiatives (e.g., BDVA, EPI) and future EuroHPC projects to foster the adoption of exascale-level computing among test case domain stakeholders.

Cyber threats are the most significant and growing risk for public administrations (PA). However, technological, organisational and structural issues hamper the ability, especially for local PAs (LPAs) to improve their cyber security level. Budget constraints and evolving legal, ethical, societal and privacy regulations render the situation even more complex. COMPACT’s goal is to empower local LPAs to become the main actors of their cyber-resilience improvement process. COMPACT’s objectives are to 1) increase awareness, skills and protection; 2) foster information exchange between European LPAs; 3) link LPAs to major EU initiatives, including the newly created cyber-security private-public partnership. COMPACT innovates at technological level and at process level – an important dimension in engaging LPA employees in the improvement of cyber-resilience. At technological level, COMPACT innovates in real time security monitoring, security awareness training, information sharing, cyber-security gamification, risk assessment, and threat intelligence. At process level, COMPACT adapts the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle for LPAs to do iterative removal of security bottlenecks and achieve compliance to EN ISO/IEC 27001 and BS ISO/IEC 27005. COMPACT delivers an integrated platform with 4 types of tools/services – 1) risk assessment, 2) education, 3) monitoring, and 4) knowledge sharing – characterized by a high degree of usability by non IT experts and automation. It protects LPAs’ investments by interoperating with market solutions from major vendors. It eases deployment and adoption by being both cloud-enabled (i.e. it addresses cloud specific issues) and cloud-ready (i.e. it can be deployed – if users wish– on the cloud). COMPACT validates its results through 5 challenging use cases provided by 5 users in 4 European countries. 90% of COMPACT solutions will achieve TRL7 and the residual part TRL6.

Advancing education and training in High Performance Computing (HPC) and its applicability to HPDA and AI is essential for strengthening the world-class European HPC ecosystem. It is of primary importance to ensure the digital transformation and the sustainability of high-priority economic sectors. Missing educated and skilled professionals in HPC/HPDA/AI could prevent Europe from creating socio-economic value with HPC. The Hpc EuRopean ConsortiUm Leading Education activities (HERCULES) aims to develop a new and innovative European Master programme focusing on high performance solutions to address these issues. The master programme aims at catalysing various aspects of the HPC ecosystem and its applications into different scientific and industrial domains. HERCULES brings together major players in HPC education in Europe and mobilises them to unify existing programs into a common European curriculum. It leverages experience from various European countries and HPC communities to generate European added value beyond the potential of any single university. HERCULES emphasizes on collaboration across Europe with innovative teaching paradigms including co-teaching and the cooperative development of new content relying on the best specialists in HPC education in Europe. Employers, researchers, HPC specialists, supercomputing centres, CoEs and technology providers will constitute a workforce towards this master in HPC pilot programme. This pilot will provide a base for further national and pan-European educational programmes in HPC all over Europe and our lessons learned and the material development will accelerate the uptake of HPC in academia and industry. The creation of a European network of HPC specialists will catalyse transfers and mutual support between students, teachers and industrial experts. A particular focus on mobility of students and teachers will enable students to rapidly gain experience through internships and exposure to European supercomputing centres

In the domain of Cybersecurity Research and innovation, European scientists hold pioneering positions in fields such as cryptography, formal methods, or secure components. Yet this excellence on focused domains does not translate into larger-scale, system-level advantages. Too often, scattered and small teams fall short of critical mass capabilities, despite demonstrating world-class talent and results. Europe’s strength is in its diversity, but that strength is only materialised if we cooperate, combine, and develop common lines of research. Given today’s societal challenges, this has become more than an advantage – an urgent necessity. Various approaches are being developed to enhance collaboration at many levels. Europe’s framework programs have sprung projects in cybersecurity over the past thirty years, encouraging international cooperation and funding support actions. More recently, the Cybersecurity PPP has brought together public institutions and industrial actors around common roadmaps and projects. While encouraging, these efforts have highlighted the need to break the mould, to step up investments and intensify coordination. The SPARTA proposal brings together a unique set of actors at the intersection of scientific excellence, technological innovation, and societal sciences in cybersecurity. Strongly guided by concrete and risky challenges, it will setup unique collaboration means, leading the way in building transformative capabilities and forming world-leading expertise centres. Through innovative governance, ambitious demonstration cases, and active community engagement, SPARTA aims at re-thinking the way cybersecurity research is performed in Europe across domains and expertise, from foundations to applications, in academia and industry.