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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Božo 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
