Since January 2012, Moldova has been actively participating in the European Union’s research and innovation programs. As the third country associated with the Horizon 2020 program, researchers from academia, industry, as well as officials, have already gained access to EuroHPC supercomputers to support their research.
Now Moldova becomes a full participant of the EuroHPC joint project. Our scientists will now be able to apply for EuroHPC JU research and innovation project competitions funded under the Horizon Europe program, which supports the development of supercomputing technologies, applications and software.
In addition, by becoming a participant in the Digital Europe Program (DEP) from February 2024, Moldova will be able to contribute to the deployment of the EuroHPC AI Factorys network and other projects in the field of supercomputing competencies and skills, contributing to the development of a highly competitive and innovative AI ecosystem in Europe.
Moldova joins other non-EU member states participating in the EuroHPC JU project. These include Albania, Iceland, Israel, Montenegro, Israel, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and the UK. They are all working with the EU to achieve strategic autonomy in High Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing, and to build a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in Europe.
Anders Dam Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC JU, said, “We are delighted to welcome Moldova as a new member of EuroHPC Joint Invention. This expansion strengthens European cooperation in high performance computing, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies across the continent.”
Doina Nistor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization of Moldova, added: “Innovation is not just a goal for our country, it is a national priority and a driving force for the future. Joining the EuroHPC joint project will allow our country to invest in breakthrough technologies, accelerate the development of research potential and put Moldova at the forefront of Europe’s digital transformation. We aim to use this opportunity to put innovation at the center of our country’s development agenda”.
The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) is a legal and financial entity established in 2018 to coordinate the efforts of the European Union and the EuroHPC JU member states and pool resources to make Europe a world leader in supercomputing.
To equip Europe with an advanced supercomputing infrastructure, the EuroHPC JU has already procured eleven supercomputers located across Europe. Three of these EuroHPC supercomputers are among the ten most powerful supercomputers in the world: JUPITER in Germany is ranked 4th, becoming the new fastest supercomputer in Europe, along with LUMI in Finland (9th) and Leonardo in Italy (10th). Thanks to EuroHPC Access Calls programs, European scientists and users from the public sector and industry can benefit from these supercomputers.
The EuroHPC JU is also currently overseeing the implementation of 13 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Factories across Europe, which offer free personalized support to SMEs and startups.
EuroHPC JU is also deploying a European quantum computing infrastructure, integrating various European quantum computing technologies with existing supercomputers. EuroHPC JU has already opened PIAST-Q in Poznan (Poland) and VLQ in Ostrava (Czech Republic), marking an important milestone in Europe’s journey into the quantum era.
In parallel, EuroHPC JU is investing in research and innovation projects aimed at developing a complete European supercomputing supply chain: from processors and software to applications to run on these supercomputers and know-how to develop a strong European expertise in High Performance Computing (HPC).
