Academic activities

General

As an integral part of the two-year European master’s program in HPC, regular engagement with leading-edge industrial and research activities is facilitated. To fulfill this objective, students will participate in various activities throughout their studies:

• Summer Schools
• Workshops
• Challenges
• Internships

These activities are designed to cultivate a dynamic student community, enhance group cohesion, and facilitate connections between companies and students, which may result in internships or potential job opportunities.

Summer Schools

Transitioning from their first to second year, students are required to participate in a summer school between semesters 2 and 3. This intensive programme acts as a vital milestone, providing students with invaluable opportunities for ongoing learning, networking, and skill enhancement.

The summer school is a pivotal event within the program, fostering essential networking and connections among EUMaster4HPC students from various awarding universities. It also brings together selected students from related Master’s programs of partner universities, esteemed professors and stakeholders from supercomputing centres and companies. This collaborative environment encourages knowledge exchange, promotes interdisciplinary learning and lays the foundation for future collaborations and professional growth.

Student Workshops

Multiple workshops will be held at participating universities to nurture a sense of community among students and to introduce industrial and research requirements in the fields of High-Performance Computing (HPC), High-Performance Data Analytics (HPDA), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Each student is required to attend a minimum of three workshops, scheduled during the midpoint of semesters 1, 2, and 3.

These workshops serve as valuable forums for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and networking. They provide students with opportunities to engage with peers, present their ideas, and gain insights into industry and research needs. By enhancing the overall educational experience, these workshops prepare students for the challenges they will face in both their academic and professional endeavors.

Challenge

The challenge competition showcases industrial and research use cases in the HPC field. Proposed and organised by supercomputing centres, these challenges can be conducted online and may involve collaboration with companies. Each student is required to participate in at least one challenge but no more than two during semester 3.

Internships

Mandatory internships at either industry or research institutions occur during the 4th semester. These internships typically last between three to six months, completing during the second year of the programme.

The research internship

The objective of the scientific internship is to familiarise students with the realm of research and development (R&D). Throughout this internship, students will engage in laboratory work and encounter unresolved challenges. They will employ and explore various methodologies to address these issues, analyse their findings and offer insights on the outcomes. Operating within a team setting, interns will actively contribute to research endeavors, aiding in the exploration of specific topics and generating results. This internship occurs within a research setting, whether it be a public or private laboratory or a supercomputing center.

The company internship

An internship with a company will center on topics relevant to the company while incorporating high-level knowledge of HPC/HPDA/AI. In addition to offering a more research-oriented experience, a company internship will impart practical knowledge to students who have studied theoretical concepts during their academic tenure. This experience proves invaluable for those aiming to pursue careers in various industries post-graduation.

Before commencing an internship in their second year, students must obtain approval from their second-year university. This ensures alignment with the student’s field of study and adherence to any additional requirements stipulated by the university.

As part of their academic obligations, students must fulfill a master’s thesis requirement. While the internship itself does not grant ECTS credits, the master’s thesis produced during the internship period may contribute to earning such credits. The specific number of ECTS credits earned through the thesis can vary based on the requirements established by the second-year hosting university. Students are assigned a master thesis supervisor by the study director to oversee this process.

Payment for internships is governed by national laws and may fluctuate depending on the country. Therefore, students are encouraged to consult their study advisors for further clarification on this matter.

Master Thesis

The EUMaster4HPC consortium does not prescribe specific Master thesis topics to its students. Each university within the consortium may have distinct study regulations and requirements concerning thesis topics and their recognition. Therefore, it is imperative for students to engage in discussions with their respective study directors to finalize their thesis topics.

Should a student opt to base their Master thesis on their internship placement, securing approval from the study director is essential. This ensures alignment between the internship experience and the academic standards mandated by the local master’s program regulations.

To streamline this process, it is advisable for students to facilitate close collaboration between their internship mentor and academic master thesis supervisor. This collaboration fosters effective communication and coordination between the academic and internship mentors, ensuring that the Master thesis fulfills both academic and practical requirements. Students can leverage the expertise and guidance of professionals in both academic and industry domains.

Adherence to the guidelines and regulations set by their respective universities is paramount for students to successfully complete their Master thesis within the framework of the internship placement.