Master’s in High Performance Computing (HPC)

High Performance Computing plays a major role in scientific research and industrial innovation. The architecture of large scale computers is evolving rapidly and is becoming more and more complex.  These computers are formed by heterogeneous units and the number of computing cores can now exceed one million. The arrival of exascale computing capability opens new promising perspectives for scientific computing, but requires new algorithms and a deep understanding of computer architectures, parallel algorithms and programming and mathematical modelling.

The availability of HPC experts, such as HPC administrators and architects, HPC proficient data scientists, HPC application developers, and expert users, is a key factor driving digital transformation in Europe, and requires the training of highly skilled and talented graduate students.

The areas of research are currently blooming, with many advances required in order to efficiently exploit current and upcoming parallel computers. However, the required skills are still rare, both in research and in academic training courses.  This is also the case for the research and development divisions of major industry groups that have the necessary teams to work in this field. They base their competitiveness not only on better management and optimisation, but also on a deeper understanding of their products through the use of mathematical modelling. Every single high-tech industry is involved, from banks to organisations focusing on society-relevant issues (global warming, pollution, management).

Sorbonne Université is one of the eight awarding universities of the Pan-European High Performance Computing Pilot Master’s programme, “EUMaster4HPC”. This programme brings together major players in HPC education in Europe and emphasises collaboration across Europe with innovative teaching paradigms such as co-teaching and strong connections with the industry and the best specialists in HPC education to develop the most relevant and up-to-date teaching content. A particular focus on mobility of students and teachers will enable students to rapidly gain experience through internships and exposure to European supercomputing centres.
The study programme at SU will provide a balanced curriculum between the computer science aspects and the applied mathematics aspects of HPC. The students will have the opportunity to do an internship in an academic laboratory or an industrial group.

In the frame of this programme, Sorbonne Université offers two options :

1– Double degree Master's for High Performance Computing (HPC)

Full study programme at Sorbonne Université (M1 and M2 without compulsory international mobility).

This double Master's degree in computer science and mathematics will provide a demanding curriculum, balanced between the computer science aspects and applied mathematics aspects of HPC. It offers the possibility, under certain conditions, of acquiring both a Master's degree in computer science and a Master's degree in mathematics.

It is also possible to validate a single degree: either the Master in Computer Science or the Master in Mathematics.

2– European Master's for High Performance Computing (EUMaster4HPC)

European double degree with a mandatory mobility period at one of the seven European partner universities of EUMaster4HPC (Universities in Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Switzerland).

- At Sorbonne University: the double degree of Master in Computer Science and Master in Mathematics OR one of these two degrees;

- At the second university attended: the Master's degree delivered in the framework of the EUMaster4HPC programme.

Students who successfully complete the two years of study will earn the following postgraduate diploma (s) :

• A diploma issued by Sorbonne University ;
• A diploma issued by the second university attended (option EUMaster4HPC).

The main educational objectives of this programme are to:

• Educate students in areas such as the design, deployment, operation, and/or use of current and future generation HPC and HPC-related technologies in Europe ;
• Educate experts skilled in driving HPC adoption and knowledge transfer in industry and academia in different strategic domains, thereby linking HPC activities in industry and academia.