The training on 3D Printing, Generative AI, and High-Performance Computing (HPC) was successfully implemented as planned, bringing together participants interested in emerging digital technologies and their practical application in design and production. Through the training, attendees had the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of 3D printing, digital modelling, and the growing role of generative AI tools in creating and improving 3D models.
There was around 40 people attending the 2-day course
A key message of the training was that generative AI is becoming an important driver of innovation, enabling faster idea generation, automated design support, and new creative workflows. At the same time, such models often require significant computing power for training, fine-tuning, and large-scale inference. This is where HPC plays a crucial role, providing the infrastructure needed to efficiently run advanced AI models and support more complex, data-intensive tasks. By connecting 3D printing, generative AI, and HPC, the training highlighted how these technologies can work together to accelerate innovation in education, research, and industry.
The attendees were split into teams and competed with their 3D models to be printed outWe stressed the importance of HPC to run GenAI tools for 3D modelingWinning teams were able to print their models
Representatives of NCC Montenegro are actively contributing to the development of the National AI Strategy of Montenegro 2026–2030 as members of the national Working Group coordinated by the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro, with support from UNDP Montenegro. The overarching goal of the Strategy is to enable Montenegro to respond to global AI challenges while leveraging its potential for smart, sustainable, and inclusive development, in alignment with European and international standards.
Ministry of Public Administration, regional expert, and UNDP Montenegro coordinating AI Strategy development.
Key milestones in Working Group engagements for AI Strategy development:
Constitutive Session (17 October 2025) – Established the foundation for the Strategy by defining key strategic directions for AI development, including governance and ethical frameworks, education and digital skills, and sectoral applications.
Second Session (19 January 2026) – Advanced the process through discussions on the methodological framework, key development phases, and alignment with international best practices/ European standards, with particular emphasis on digital infrastructure and data ecosystem challenges in Montenegro.
Strategic Workshop (13–14 February 2026, Budva) – Engaged in interactive sessions with national and regional experts, contributing to the identification of strategic directions, core pillars, priority application areas, key challenges and opportunities, and the mapping of the national AI ecosystem.
Third Session (27 March 2026) – Focused on defining the work plan until September 2026, including the organization of thematic stakeholder workshops, expert consultations, to ensure comprehensive insights, refining strategic objectives/measures, and support the drafting of the Strategy document.
The emerging strategic framework is built around several core pillars: digital infrastructure and data ecosystems, AI adoption across sectors, skills and capacity development, and regulatory and ethical AI frameworks, supported by appropriate governance mechanisms.
Participation of representatives from public, academic, industry, and civil sectors.
As a member of the Working Group, NCC Montenegro plays a key role in integrating high-performance computing (HPC) and advanced digital technologies into the national AI strategic framework by promoting HPC as a foundational enabler of AI development, supporting data-intensive AI innovations and applications, and aligning national priorities with European HPC and AI initiatives.
The development of the AI Strategy 2026–2030 represents a significant opportunity for Montenegro to strengthen its digital economy, foster innovation and competitiveness, enhance public services, and position itself within the broader European AI landscape. Through its active participation in this process, NCC Montenegro contributes to shaping a resilient, inclusive, and future-oriented AI ecosystem, grounded in robust infrastructure, accessible advanced technologies, skilled human capital, and strong collaborative governance.
The National Competence Center for High Performance Computing (NCC Montenegro) is launching a short course dedicated to the emerging intersection of 3D printing, generative artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing (HPC). The course is designed to provide participants with practical insight into the full digital fabrication pipeline — from concept and model creation to the production of a physical prototype.
During the two-day program, participants will learn the fundamentals of 3D printing technologies, CAD-based modeling, and model preparation for printing, while also exploring how Generative AI tools can automatically generate and enhance 3D models. A special segment of the course will focus on the role of HPC infrastructure in enabling advanced generative design workflows, including the training and deployment of AI models for complex design generation and optimization.
Designed for students, researchers, and professionals
The course combines theoretical lectures with hands-on sessions, allowing participants to experiment with AI-assisted model generation and prepare designs for 3D printing. The program culminates in a final project where participants implement the complete workflow — from AI-generated concept to printed prototype.
The course is intended for students, researchers, engineers, makers, and professionals interested in digital fabrication, AI-assisted design, and advanced computational technologies. The course will take place on March 26th and March 30th.
As part of the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Information Technology – IT 2026, held in Žabljak, a three-day programme of activities dedicated to the application of high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) in science, industry, and digital transformation was organized. The event brought together researchers, representatives of National Competence Centres, IT companies, and international partners with the aim of exchanging knowledge, presenting project results, and strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.
EuroCC2 and EuroCC4SEE at the 30th anniversary edition og the IEEE Information Technology Conference – IT Zabljak 2026
During all three days of the conference, morning sessions were dedicated to presentations of scientific papers, where researchers presented the results of their work in the fields of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, data science, and digital technologies. These sessions enabled discussions on current scientific trends and the exchange of ideas between authors and conference participants.
Day one – scientific sessions, workshop, and project presentations
The programme of the first day began with a morning block of four parallel sessions, two held in conference halls and two organized in a virtual format. Within these sessions, scientific papers covering contemporary topics in AI, HPC, data analytics, digital transformation, and software engineering were presented, followed by active discussions between authors and participants.
Introduction to NCC Montenegro activities and preparation for the workshop
Later in the day, the workshop “Application of HPC and AI to Enhance the Tourism Offer” was held, focusing on the development of proof-of-concept solutions and the practical application of supercomputing and artificial intelligence to enhance the tourism offer.
Particular emphasis was placed on solutions integrating HPC infrastructure, demonstrating how advanced computing resources can support data analysis, personalization of tourism services, and optimization of tourism processes.
Wotkshop on HPC and AI applications aimed at tourism sector
Outside the scientific sessions, Wednesday was also marked by the event “Project trade fair & dissemination of results”, where projects and innovative solutions in the fields of AI and HPC were presented. Solutions such as GetMoved, PAID-T, Wasco AI, Generative AI Intelligent Process Automation Platform, DeepMark, and AI Heal were showcased, further strengthening the connection between the research and business communities and enabling the exchange of experiences between researchers and companies.
Day two – panel on the application of HPC technologies in science and industry
On the second day of the conference, the panel “Application of HPC in Science and Industry – Real Examples and Success Stories” was held and moderated by Sandra Tinaj (NCC Montenegro). The panel was organized in two parts.
The first part focused on a discussion about the institutional framework and the strategic development of the AI and HPC ecosystem in Montenegro. The discussion involved Đorđe Krivokapić and Sandra Tinaj.
Discussing strategic development of the AI and HPC ecosystem in Montentegro
Đorđe Krivokapić presented the key elements of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, including planned activities, infrastructure development, and support mechanisms for research and innovation. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening the institutional framework that enables the integration of HPC and AI technologies into various sectors of society, as well as creating an environment that fosters cooperation between government institutions, academia, and industry.
Sandra Tinaj presented the activities of the National Competence Centre for HPC in Montenegro (NCC Montenegro) within the EuroCC and EuroCC4SEE projects, including the organization of training activities, support for researchers and companies, and assistance in accessing European supercomputing resources through the EuroHPC initiative.
HPC applications through the work of NCCs and industry in SEE
The second part of the panel focused on presenting concrete examples of HPC applications through the work of National Competence Centres and industry.
Ana Lalović (Verlab) presented the activities of NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the use of HPC technologies in medical and biomedical research, including the analysis of medical data and the development of advanced diagnostic models. Boro Jakimovski presented the activities of NCC North Macedonia, with a particular focus on industrial applications of HPC technologies and cooperation with companies developing solutions based on AI and advanced analytics.
Sandra Tinaj presented the activities of NCC Montenegro through Proof of Concept projects, which enable companies and researchers to test and develop innovative solutions using HPC infrastructure and expert support.
Milutin Pavićević (Montenegrin AI Association) discussed the perspective of industry and the importance of cooperation between academia and companies. He particularly emphasized the competencies needed by young IT engineers in the context of HPC technologies, including knowledge of parallel programming, large-scale data processing, and the development of scalable AI solutions.
prof Ramo Sendelj from MontEDIH at the panel
Ramo Šendelj (MONTEDIH) also participated in the panel, speaking about the importance of cooperation between the MONTEDIH and EuroCC4SEE projects in supporting the digital transformation of companies and developing an innovation ecosystem based on HPC and AI technologies.
In addition, B2B meetings were held between NCCs, as well as between NCCs, companies, and researchers.
Day three – EuroCC4SEE session and experiences of National Competence Centres
On the third day of the conference, the session “EuroCC4SEE – What Have We Learned and Where Do We Go Next?” was held, dedicated to the results and experiences of National Competence Centres in the field of HPC.
The session was opened by Tomo Popović from NCC Montenegro, who presented the activities implemented within the EuroCC and EuroCC4SEE projects, including training activities, cooperation with companies, and support for accessing European supercomputers. NCC Montenegro has organized more than 30 training events attended by around 500 participants, collaborated with more than 15 companies, and provided support for more than 10 applications to the EuroHPC initiative, including practical work on European supercomputing clusters.
During the session, the activities of National Competence Centres from the region were also presented.
Session dedicated to EuroCC4SEE Lessons Learned with participation of industry representatives
Marija Mitrović Dankulov presented the activities of NCC Serbia, including the development of HPC infrastructure such as the Paradox cluster, the AI cluster, and the national data center in Kragujevac, which will support the EuroCC3 and AI Factory satellite projects. She also presented the results of the NCC’s work, successful HPC use cases, and experiences in cooperation with academia and industry.
Ozlem Sari from NCC Turkey presented the results achieved over the past three years, including numerous training activities, info days, proof-of-concept projects, and success stories developed in cooperation with academia and industry, as well as the HPC infrastructure and regional initiatives that contributed to spreading knowledge about HPC technologies.
Sarah Spahić presented the activities of NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Verlab Institute, including training and workshops for academia and the public sector, consultations and support for research projects, and cooperation with companies such as Arti Analytics, Plastoflex, and Bosnalijek.
Gjorgji Madjarov presented the activities of NCC North Macedonia and an overview of activities implemented through the EuroCC and EuroCC4SEE projects, with a particular focus on cooperation with IT companies and organizations with domain expertise relevant for the development of AI and HPC solutions.
Several representatives presented their solutions and experiences with HPC and NCC support
In the second part of the session, projects of Montenegrin companies using HPC and AI technologies were presented. Companies showcased innovative solutions such as the AI doctor developed by OneAI, the Wasco AI assistant by Five G, the DeepMark platform for audio watermarking, as well as solutions from ITAS, Trid Tech, Uhura, and Paid MNE that use HPC infrastructure for simulations, AI model development, and optimization of complex processes.
At the end of the session, Ramo Šendelj emphasized the importance of cooperation between the EuroCC and MONTEDIH projects, highlighting opportunities for joint activities and support for Montenegrin companies in various areas of digital transformation.
Strengthening the HPC ecosystem through collaboration between science and industry
The three-day programme within the IT Žabljak 2026 conference highlighted the importance of collaboration between the research community, industry, and European initiatives in the development of HPC and AI technologies. Through scientific sessions, workshops, panel discussions, and project presentations, participants had the opportunity to exchange experiences, present innovative solutions, and identify new opportunities for cooperation.
There was over 20 representatives from comapnies that utilized EuroHPC HPC access
Activities implemented within the EuroCC4SEE project have further contributed to strengthening the regional HPC ecosystem and promoting the application of supercomputing and artificial intelligence in science, industry, and the public sector.
AI-AGE team presented a paper titled “Interpretable ML for Diabetes and Prediabetes Screening Using Self-Reported Health Indicators” by S. Lazic, S. Cakic, I. Rubezic Lukic, N. Popovic, and T. Popovic at the 30. Annual Conferenc on Information Technology IT 2026. This was part of mentoring activities and efforts related to development of young researchers.
Image source AI-AGE
ABSTRACT – Early identification of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes enables timely interventions, yet screening often relies on self-reported data rather than laboratory testing. This work compares lightweight Machine Learning (ML) models: Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) trained on 21 self-reported indicators from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset for three-class classification (no diabetes, prediabetes, diabetes). We propose a screening-oriented evaluation where a probability threshold is selected to achieve a target sensitivity (recall) of 0.80. LightGBM achieves balanced accuracy of 0.52 and precision of 0.33 at the target sensitivity, with 38% of cases flagged. Tree SHapley Additive exPlanations (TreeSHAP) highlight general health status, age category, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension as dominant predictors. A FastAPI web application provides individual risk estimates and instance-level explanations. The pipeline demonstrates feasibility of interpretable, calibrated screening from non-laboratory data.
At the IEEE IT2026 conference in Žabljak, researchers from the University of Donja Gorica presented PollenTrace, an innovative project combining Artificial Intelligence and High Performance Computing (HPC) to enhance honey authenticity verification. Traditional pollen analysis (melissopalynology), while reliable, is time-consuming and dependent on expert knowledge. PollenTrace addresses this limitation by developing a large-scale microscopy dataset and an AI-driven detection pipeline capable of automatically identifying pollen grains in honey samples.
The project is building a dataset of over 33,000 high-resolution microscopy images derived from more than 1,100 biological samples collected across Montenegro, enabling the development of robust and scalable AI models. As a proof of concept, a deep learning model based on YOLOv11 was trained on annotated microscopy images, achieving 84% precision and 88% recall, demonstrating strong potential for automated pollen detection and future large-scale deployment.
HPC resources played a key role in enabling efficient model training and handling of high-resolution image datasets, highlighting the importance of national HPC infrastructure—such as that provided through NCC Montenegro -in supporting advanced AI applications in agri-food systems. This is also cross-project collaboration.
PollenTrace represents a step forward toward digital, scalable, and reproducible food authenticity verification, with strong potential to support laboratories, regulatory bodies, and industry in ensuring product quality and consumer trust. PollenTrace is supported as a PoC project by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
