European Master for High-Performance Computing Expands in AI and Quantum Computing

The European Master for High-Performance Computing (EUMaster4HPC) will expand its program with an additional focus on artificial intelligence and quantum computing, starting in September 2026. The Institute of Physics Belgrade, the coordinator of HPC Serbia, is joining the EUMaster4HPC consortium as a core academic partner. In total, 43 partners from 23 countries, coordinated by the University of Luxembourg, are playing a key role in shaping the continent's digital future.

After successfully recruiting more than 100 students during its four-year pilot phase, EUMaster4HPC will train 400 students across Europe over the next six years. Applications for the next cohort are open until 15 August 2026. EUMaster4HPC is funded by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, a European Union public-private partnership, with an overall budget of 10 million euros.

These additions address Europe's growing need for experts at the intersection of HPC and emerging technologies, equipping students to advance the adoption of exascale computing across industry and society. As artificial intelligence and quantum computing rapidly reshape the computational landscape, the program ensures that graduates are prepared not only with advanced technical expertise but also with the skills to navigate, innovate, and lead in these transformative fields.

This unique Master's program will continue to emphasize interdisciplinary and cross-border collaboration, providing national and European students with a world-class education that serves industry and society at large and fosters highly sought-after expertise in advanced computing. Through this international mobility, students will earn a double degree from the two universities where they study, gaining broad international experience and exposure to diverse HPC environments. Whether at a partner university, a research center, a supercomputing center, or in industry, they will focus on real-world challenges such as climate modeling, bioinformatics, aerospace engineering, materials science, and financial simulation.

"The EUMaster4HPC consortium will extend the number of awarding universities through open calls, therefore strengthening the European HPC ecosystem, by training the next generation of HPC, AI and quantum computing experts", says Prof. Marko Rančić, Associate Professor in High-Performance and Quantum Computing at the University of Luxembourg.

Dr. Dusan Vudragovic from HPC Serbia explained that participating in the EUMaster4HPC-2 project allowed HPC Serbia to introduce a new range of complementary activities. "In its initial phase, the project successfully graduated the first cohort of supercomputing master's students. Moving forward, the Institute of Physics Belgrade, in collaboration with HPC Serbia, will actively promote this master's program across the Western Balkans, aiming to produce the region's first HPC master's graduate soon".

Graduates of the EUMaster4HPC program gain advanced expertise and a strong professional network within the European HPC community. This opens direct pathways to careers at leading supercomputing and research centers, as well as in industry, while nearly half of graduates continue their academic journey with a PhD. Building on this strong track record, the program is currently accepting applications for its next cohort.

Undergraduate students from all technical disciplines in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with strong programming skills can apply on eumaster4hpc.eu until 15 August 2026 for admission in September 2026 to 8 universities of their choice (AGH University of Krakow will be available only from 2027).