Workshop “Digital Transformation and HPC/AI” for BSc students

On 8 Dec 2023, a workshop on “Digital Transformation and HPC/AI” unfolded at the University of Donja Gorica. Over the course of this semester, final-year BSc students from the Faculty for Information Systems and Technologies delved into research on HPC and AI technologies within the framework of the Managing Information Technology subject. The EUROCC NCC Montenegro team conducted enlightening lectures and presentations on HPC and AI, providing students with a comprehensive grasp of these technologies and illustrating their pivotal roles in digital transformation.

Digital transformation and HPC/AI students workshop

During the workshop, students had the opportunity to showcase the projects they worked on throughout the semester, projects that will be defended during their final exam in Managing Information Technology course. The presented use cases spanned across various fields such as tourism, medicine, agriculture, and digital marketing. This event not only allowed students to share their findings but also fostered a deeper understanding of the practical applications of HPC and AI in real-world scenarios. Our focus was on the possible applications of interest for Montenegro and in the priority domains of Smart Specialisation Strategy for Montenegro (2014-2019).

Over 20 BSc students participated
AI powered chatbot for hotel reception
HPC/AI model cretion for sign language
HPC/AI for recognizing cultural and historic monuments
Prediction of attendance of sport events
Use of computer vision in medicine
Computer vision for drones for prevention of forest fire
Computer vision for precision agriculture and pest management
Event took place at the University of Donja Gorica

Progress on AI4S3 project

In the previous period, as part of the AI4S3 project, which is supported by Innovation fund of Montenegro, numerous lectures on the application of artificial intelligence in S3 areas were organized at the UDG:

  • Python programming: Our participants went through a thorough training in Python, starting with the basics of the programming language, all the way to advanced topics. Through homework, our participants demonstrated a high understanding and application of Python in various scenarios. This was the first step towards strengthening their programming expertise.
  • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI): this module was a journey through the world of artificial intelligence. We started with the historical development of the technology, exploring how machine learning and deep learning algorithms have evolved over time. In the pyTorch and TensorFlow suite, we developed some basic deep learning models. We focused especially on neural networks, explaining their mathematical and technical foundations. Participants gained a thorough understanding of the technologies that shape our world.
  • AI in S3 priority areas: this segment was extremely important because the basic idea of this training is precisely the application of new technologies. Innovative projects developed by our lecturers, specifically focused on the application of AI in S3 areas, were presented. This gave participants an insight into the practical application of AI in the real world. Also, we dealt with ethical issues and challenges in the development of AI models, encouraging participants to think critically about the impact of technology on society.
The training included Python basis, introduction to AI and ML, applications in S3 domains

With over 50 participants from various academic and industrial circles, our training has become a meeting place for different perspectives and innovations. By the end of this training, two more modules are planned, namely The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Computer Vision and Tools and Libraries for AI Model Development. At the very end, training participants will present their projects, which they will develop in teams in cooperation with mentors. This training is a continuation of previous NCC Montenegro and Open Mind Academy efforts.

Mr Stevan Cakic, AI4S3 project coordinator
Over 50 trainees from various academic and industrial sector
Participant will be trained and metored to implement their own hands on projects
The course included cross-collaboration and presentations of practical use cases

HPC and EUROCC presentation to the trainees of AI4S3.ME courses

NCC Montenegro representatives Sanja Nikolic and Luka Filipovic gave a presentation for to the attendees of AI4S3.ME courses. The presentation covered the potential of using HPC/HPDA/AI technologies, advantages of utilizing distributed resources, the EuroHPC supercomputing opportunities, EuroCC2 project, NCC Montenegro activities and results.

Successful twinning: Quantum computing lecture Successful Twinning:

On the 20th of October 2023, Dr. Jaka Vodeb gave a lecture on the topic of quantum computing to the students of the University of Donja Gorica (UDG) and NCC Montenegro academic and industry partners.

Twinning between NCC germany and NCC Montenegro – Lecture on Quantum Computing

During the lecture, Dr. Vodeb addressed several key aspects of quantum computing, including its historical development, early stages, and the motivating factors behind its advancement. Additionally, he provided insights into the current state of quantum hardware and various quantum algorithms. At the end, he presented success stories where quantum computing demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional computing methods. Quantum computing lecture was organized as a fruitful collaboration between NCC Germany and NCC Montenegro. There was around 70 attendees at the lecture.

Over 70 attendees were presenet at the lecture
Students got an assignment to further research and write an essay on quantum computing

Quantum computing lecture

NCC Montenegro is organizing online introductory lecture about quantum computing and its applications.

Quantum computing is a cutting-edge field of computer science that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform complex calculations at speeds far beyond what classical computers can achieve. Instead of using classical bits, quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously due to superposition. This enables them to solve certain problems, such as factoring large numbers or simulating quantum systems, much faster than traditional computers. Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize fields like AI/ML applications, cryptography, bioinformatics, digital manufacturing, optimization of traffic systems…

We are privileged to have Dr. Jaka Vodeb as our speaker. Dr. Vodeb is a postdoctoral researcher at the Jozef Stefan Institute and Fz Juelich (NCC Germany). His extensive expertise in quantum computing and quantum simulator ensures inspirational lectures.

Dr. Vodeb will give an overview of the quantum computing landscape, existing quantum hardware, quantum algorithms, quantum error correction and the quantum internet.

Date: 20.10.2023.
Time: 12:00 PM
Duration: Half Day lectures
Registration: https://forms.gle/nTf2aW3kGsbzcSz2A

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the future of computing.
We look forward to your participation!

For any additional information, inquiries, or updates, please reach us on luka.filipovic@udg.edu.me

Implementation of AI4S3 training

At the University of Donja Gorica, the Faculty of Information Systems and Technologies has commenced the implementation of the project “Application of Computer Vision and Deep Learning in Agriculture and Food Production, Medicine, and Energy (AI4S3).” The project is funded within the program to promote the development of an innovation culture and organize education in the fields of smart specialization in Montenegro by the Innovation Fund (https://fondzainovacije.me/).

Implementation of AI4S3 training started

On September 28th, as part of the 9th Festival of Science and Innovation, we had the opportunity to present our plans for the project’s implementation. The key idea of the project is to bring the application of artificial intelligence closer to the S3 sectors, which represent one of the key strategies for digitization in agriculture and supply chain, medicine, tourism, and energy sectors.

Over 65 candidates enrolled in the training

As previously announced, on September 30th, we organized an entrance test and questionnaire for all applicants. More than 65 candidates took the entrance test and questionnaire, and after analyzing the results, we selected more than 40 of them who will undergo training over the next 2 months.

The training is supported by the Innovation fund of Montenegro

Additionally, on October 7th, we began conducting lectures, starting with Python programming language, which forms the foundation for further training and the development of artificial intelligence models through upcoming modules. This training is a continuation of previous NCC Montenegro and Open Mind Academy efforts.

Congratulations to everyone, and we look forward to collaborating with all our participants.

BSc thesis: Artificial intelligence for cyber security

The thesis underscores the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in combating phishing attacks and underscores the importance of continued research and innovation to safeguard users and their data in the digital realm. Beyond technical aspects, the paper provides a theoretical framework on cyber security, phishing attacks, and the role of artificial intelligence in modern cyber defense. It emphasizes the ongoing need for research and improvement in this area due to the evolving nature of cyber threats. This BSc theis work was done by Mr Ivan Novakovic under the menthorship of prof. Armin Alibasic.

Mr Novakovic defended his BSc thesis on AI in cybersecurity

ABSTRACT – This thesis addresses the critical issue of detecting phishing URLs, a prevalent cyber threat, using advanced artificial intelligence techniques. It examines three models—Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and LightGBM—through rigorous analysis and real data testing to assess their effectiveness in identifying malicious URLs. The results demonstrate that these models, when properly trained and calibrated, can achieve high accuracy in predicting the maliciousness of URLs.