Category: Events

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EuroHPC-Supported Research Advances AI-Based Lecture Transcription for Montenegrin

Results from the Exams 4.0 Proof of Concept project, supported by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro and EuroHPC computing resources, were presented at the international SAMYRAD 2026 conference in Seville, Spain.

The paper “Whisper-Based Lecture Transcription for Montenegrin Higher Education with a Practical Evaluation” was presented at the Smart Algorithms & Models: Your Reach to Advanced Dialogues (SAMYRAD 2026) conference, held on 5–6 October 2026 in Seville, Spain.

Authored by Stevan Čakić, Tomo Popović, Srđan Krčo, and Igor Čulafić, the paper investigates the use of OpenAI Whisper models for automatic transcription of university lectures in Montenegrin, a language not directly supported by Whisper.

The study evaluated three Whisper model variants and three related South Slavic language settings using 30 university lectures covering nearly 38 hours of audio. The experimental work involved generating 4,860 transcripts, with large-scale processing performed on the LUMI EuroHPC supercomputer in Finland.

The results identified Whisper’s turbo variant as the most suitable among the tested models in terms of transcription consistency, evaluated text quality, and processing speed. The research also provided practical recommendations for processing lecture recordings in Montenegrin.

These findings have already been incorporated into a new lecture-transcription module developed within the Exams 4.0 platform, enabling lecturers to transform audio and video recordings into text that can support AI-assisted preparation of educational materials and examination questions.

This R&D effort was conducted as part of the Exams 4.0 Proof of Concept project, implemented by DigitalSmart in collaboration with the University of Donja Gorica and funded by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.

HPC Montenegro (NCC Montenegro) supported the research team in securing access to EuroHPC computing resources through the EuroHPC JU Development Access programme (project ID: EHPC-DEV-2024D12-018). The computational experiments were performed on LUMI, hosted by CSC in Finland and the LUMI consortium.

This work demonstrates how access to European HPC infrastructure can support applied AI research, foster innovation in higher education, and contribute to the development of digital tools for smaller and underrepresented languages.

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NCC Montenegro Highlights EuroHPC Opportunities at AmCham Future Lab – AI & Tech Conference

Podgorica, 1 October 2026 – NCC Montenegro participated in the second edition of AmCham Future Lab – AI & Tech conference, organised at the Science and Technology Park. Designed as a platform for strategic dialogue between the business, technology and institutional communities, AmCham Future Lab connects global technological trends with local business opportunities. The conference brought together international experts, business leaders, technology professionals and representatives of academia to explore how to accelerate the transition of AI from technological experimentation to practical business applications and generate measurable economic value.

The conference featured prominent speakers, including Alf Rehn, Professor of Innovation, Design and Management at the University of Southern Denmark, who explored human creativity and excellence in the AI era; Vladimir Vulić, President of Digitalizuj.me, who addressed AI-driven business transformation; and Dave Birss, Co-founder of The Gen AI Academy, who delivered a masterclass on strategic AI adoption and business decision-making. The programme also featured business case studies presented by NLB Bank and Roche.

Representing HPC Montenegro, Sanja Nikolić participated in the panel discussion “Beyond the Hype: How AI Is Transforming Business in Montenegro.” She highlighted the critical role of advanced computing infrastructure, high-quality data and specialised expertise in accelerating AI adoption, emphasising the opportunities available to Montenegrin companies through the European supercomputing ecosystem, EuroHPC and AI Factories. Drawing on concrete examples of Montenegrin companies successfully leveraging European supercomputing resources, she demonstrated how access to HPC infrastructure can accelerate innovation, support the development of AI-driven products and services, and create new opportunities to strengthen international competitiveness.

NCC Montenegro’s participation in AmCham Future Lab highlighted the importance of connecting Montenegro’s business community with HPC infrastructure and AI expertize, while reinforcing the Centre’s role in supporting the adoption of advanced technologies and strengthening the national innovation ecosystem. The event also provided valuable networking opportunities, facilitating discussions with business representatives on potential collaboration, training opportunities and access to European supercomputers.

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EuroCC3 Presented at INFOFEST 2026 and Panel Session on EU Funds Held in Budva, Montenegro

The National Competence Centre Montenegro (NCC Montenegro), operating within the EuroCC3 project, was presented at INFOFEST 2026, the largest regional festival of information technology achievements, held from 27 to 30 September 2026 at Hotel Avala Resort & Villas in Budva, Montenegro, under the slogan “Human in the Loop”.

This year’s edition of the festival brought together several hundred participants from Montenegro and the region, including representatives of the technology and telecommunications industry, banking, energy, public administration, education, and the academic and media communities. Over three days, the programme addressed cyber resilience and new regulatory frameworks (NIS2, DORA), the role of the IT community in responding to natural disasters, digital infrastructure and energy, the labour market, the digital transformation of public services, education for a world shaped by artificial intelligence, child protection online, trust and security in the digital space, and the impact of AI on the media. The key message of INFOFEST 2026 was that while artificial intelligence is changing the rules, decisions and responsibility must remain with people.

The EuroCC3 project and the activities of NCC Montenegro were presented by Bojana Mališić, member of the EuroCC3 project team, as part of the INFOFEST Impact Forum, the festival’s special closing programme dedicated to projects, funding and impact. She outlined the role of the National Competence Centre Montenegro in building the national HPC and AI ecosystem, democratizing access to European supercomputing infrastructure, and supporting SMEs, academia, and public administration in adopting advanced digital technologies, including the opportunities available through the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, which provides free access to world-class European supercomputing infrastructure and expertise.

Panel Session: Are We Ready for EU Funds?

As part of the INFOFEST Impact Forum, a panel session titled “Are We Ready for EU Funds? Building a National Ecosystem for Developing Competitive Projects” was organized, bringing together representatives of key national institutions, academia, and the innovation ecosystem: Marko Vukašinović (Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation), Bojan Vujović (Ministry of European Affairs), Branka Žižić (University of Montenegro, Office for Internationalization), Bojana Mališić (University of Donja Gorica, EuroCC3), and Valentina Radulović, MSc (Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, Director).

The panel addressed the readiness of Montenegrin institutions, universities, and companies to successfully apply for and implement projects funded through European Union programmes. The discussion focused on the need to build a connected national ecosystem in which public administration, the academic community, innovation infrastructure, and the business sector work together to develop competitive project proposals, strengthen capacities for project preparation and management, and establish strong international partnerships. Particular attention was given to the role of competence centres such as NCC Montenegro in connecting national stakeholders with European initiatives, providing access to advanced computing resources and expertise, and helping SMEs and research teams turn ideas into fundable, high-impact projects.

The panel session demonstrated that access to EU funds is not only a matter of individual project proposals, but of a coordinated national ecosystem — one in which competence centres, institutions, and the business community jointly create the conditions for Montenegro to make full use of European opportunities in research, innovation, and digital transformation.

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HPC Montenegro at the Eastern European Machine Learning Summer School (EEML 2026) in Cetinje

NCC HPC Montenegro took part as a partner of the Eastern European Machine Learning Summer School (EEML 2026), held from 27 July to 1 August 2026 in Cetinje. The school brought together around 300 participants from across the European Union — roughly half of them from Eastern Europe — along with researchers and companies from Montenegro, making it one of the largest AI and machine learning gatherings in the region.

On Tuesday and Wednesday (28–29 July), HPC Montenegro hosted a booth where our team spent two full days talking with participants about high-performance computing (HPC) for AI and machine learning. These conversations connected us with representatives from industry and academia — both from Montenegro and from across Europe — and gave us the chance to understand their computing needs and show how HPC resources can support their work.

On Thursday, 30 July 2026, HPC Montenegro delivered a welcome talk to all participants. We presented the activities of NCC HPC Montenegro, traced the history of the EuroCC initiative through the EuroCC1, EuroCC2 and EuroCC4SEE projects, and reported on how researchers and organisations in Montenegro have been using EuroHPC access. We invited participants from Montenegro to collaborate with us and to request our services, and we helped participants from the wider region and other parts of the EU find and connect with the National Competence Centres (NCCs) in their own countries.

Our involvement in EEML 2026 reflects the twofold mission of NCC HPC Montenegro: providing training support to help build HPC and AI skills across the region, and engaging with industry to bring the benefits of high-performance computing to companies and the wider economy.

We are especially proud that several members of the HPC Montenegro team provided hands-on support and training to participants throughout EEML, helping them with practical work and with mastering machine learning tools and concepts. Alongside this, members of our team and students also took part as volunteers in the organisation of the school and in EEML activities.

You can find out more about the school at www.eeml.eu. To learn more about NCC HPC Montenegro, or to discuss collaboration and access to our services, get in touch with our team.

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NCC HPC Montenegro featured at the meeting of the President of Montenegro with AI experts

Representatives of NCC HPC Montenegro attended a meeting of the President of Montenegro and the President’s Cabinet dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence, held on 28 July 2026 in Cetinje. Around ten AI experts from Montenegro took part. Among those present were the President of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (CANU), university representatives, members of the diaspora, representatives of the Montenegrin AI Association (MAIA), and representatives from industry. Participants exchanged views with the President and his associates on the directions for developing this field in the country.

The meeting also touched on the Master’s programme in Artificial Intelligence — the first programme of its kind in Montenegro, delivered with the support of NCC HPC Montenegro and the EuroCC projects. HPC Montenegro presented the goals and projects of the EuroCC initiative and the services offered by the NCC, with particular attention to supporting industry in accessing HPC resources. In the discussion on the need for data centres and HPC infrastructure in Montenegro, NCC HPC Montenegro was recognised as part of the platform for further steps in this area.

For NCC HPC Montenegro, this was an important opportunity to be presented at the highest level of public administration and to bring its capacities and results closer to decision-makers. We look forward to taking part in the further steps and activities aimed at strengthening the artificial intelligence ecosystem in Montenegro.

More about the meeting: the President of Montenegro’s Instagram and the post on X.

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HPC Montenegro Partners with EEML 2026 in Cetinje

HPC Montenegro is proud to partner with the Eastern European Machine Learning Summer School (EEML 2026), taking place from 27 July to 1 August 2026 in Cetinje, Montenegro. The event will bring together leading researchers, lecturers and participants from the international machine learning and artificial intelligence community.

Click on image for EEML webpage

Members of the HPC Montenegro team will participate in the organization and implementation of the summer school, together with colleagues from the University of Donja Gorica and the University of Montenegro who are also active members of the Montenegrin AI Association (MAIA).

HPC NCC Moneengro is a partner organization supporting EEML

HPC Montenegro will also host an information stand during the event, providing participants from academia, industry and the public sector with an opportunity to learn more about available high-performance computing resources, EuroHPC opportunities, training activities and support for the development of AI and HPC applications.

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NCC Montenegro Team Participated in the “AI Economy” Scientific Event at MASA

Podgorica, 18 June 2026 – Members of the National Competence Centre for HPC in Montenegro – NCC Montenegro participated in the scientific event “AI Economy”, held at the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (MASA) and organized by the Department of Social Sciences, through the Committee for Economic Sciences, Demography and Anthropology.

The event brought together representatives of academia, researchers, experts and stakeholders from different sectors to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the economy, education, professions, business models, digital transformation, healthcare, cybersecurity and broader societal change.

The participation of the NCC Montenegro team focused on connecting the topic of the AI economy with the challenges and opportunities of small economies, the development of local digital and AI capacities, and the role of education, communication and interdisciplinary skills in the emerging technological environment. A key message was that small economies should not remain only consumers of ready-made AI solutions, but should develop their own knowledge, infrastructure, research capacity and sector-specific expertise in order to actively participate in the AI economy.

The event was also used as an opportunity to feature the activities of NCC Montenegro, the EuroCC3 project, and the possibilities offered by the European HPC ecosystem to researchers, universities, the public sector and industry in Montenegro. In this context, the importance of HPC access was highlighted for the development and testing of AI models, large-scale data processing, advanced analytics, organizational digital transformation and the development of innovative industry-oriented solutions.

The NCC Montenegro team emphasized that the application of AI in the economy is not only a technological issue, but also a matter of human, institutional and infrastructural capacity building. For this reason, NCC Montenegro activities include support for accessing HPC resources, training, consultancy, academia-industry collaboration and awareness raising on how HPC and AI can contribute to business development, research, innovation and the improvement of education.

Participation in this event represents another step in strengthening cooperation between academia, industry and the public sector, particularly in areas where AI, HPC and data-driven approaches can contribute to competitiveness, efficiency and sustainable development in Montenegro.

NCC Montenegro will continue to promote the use of European HPC resources, strengthen local capacities and support organizations in Montenegro interested in developing advanced digital, AI and data-driven solutions.

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