Category: Presentation

Representatives of the National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing (HPC Montenegro) participated in the CIGRE Next Generation Network (NGN) 2026 workshop for students and young engineers, held on November 4, 2026, at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro in Podgorica. The event attracted 74 registrations, including representatives of major energy companies such as EPCG, CEDIS, and CGES, other industry stakeholders, and academia.

Prof. Tomo Popović (University of Donja Gorica) delivered a lecture titled “Artificial Intelligence in Energy – Opportunities and Limitations”, prepared jointly with Dr. Luka Filipović (UDG) and Prof. Božo Krstajić (University of Montenegro). The presentation explored practical applications of AI and machine learning in electrical power systems, including energy demand and generation forecasting, predictive maintenance, grid management, and energy system optimization.

Special attention was given to the role of High-Performance Computing (HPC) in supporting advanced AI models and large-scale simulations. Participants were introduced to the EuroCC3 project, HPC Montenegro’s activities and services, and opportunities for expert consultations, training, and access to European supercomputing infrastructure. The presentation also highlighted selected HPC and AI success stories relevant to the energy sector from Montenegro and across Europe, demonstrating the benefits of collaboration with National Competence Centres.

Following the lecture, Prof. Popović moderated the panel discussion “Opportunities for AI Applications in Electrical Power Systems”, featuring Mihailo Micev (UCG), Krsto Biskupović (CEDIS), Ivan Vujović (TERING), and Stevan Šandi (BIXBIT/INNO4GRID).

Participation in the workshop provided a valuable opportunity for HPC Montenegro to engage directly with energy sector stakeholders and young engineers, exchange experiences, and establish new industry contacts. Such activities strengthen academia–industry collaboration, raise awareness of EuroCC3 opportunities, and help identify potential areas for future cooperation in applying HPC and AI technologies to the energy sector [link].

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.

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.