A framework for analysis of European HPCN centres

Abstract

In Europe, a number of HPCN centres are active; some small, some large, some successful, some not. Centres range from small institutes of 5–10 people, to large national centres employing over 150 people and with budgets in the tens of millions ECU range. This paper gives an overview of the characteristics of European HPCN centres and presents a framework that can be used to analyse them.

The framework contains aspects on the missions, services, financing, and organisation of these centres. A separate section is describing the way HPCN centres interact with industry. This ranges from industry being a customer of a centre to complete management of a centre by a commercial company. Of the latter there are at present no European examples. The most common way of collaboration is in joint projects.

After this description, success factors are identified: what makes some HPCN centres more successful than others? The smaller successful centres have one strong application oriented focal point. The larger centres have a combination of large integrated facilities combined with advanced expertise. Financing for large successful centres comes from several sources.

Examples are taken from a number of centres, including EPPC in Edinburgh, CSCS in Lugano, RUS in Stuttgart, UNI·C in Copenhagen.