PRACE
June 5, 2026
PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe) is an international association that brings together Europe’s high‑performance computing resources, providing researchers, academia, and industry with access to world‑class supercomputers, data management systems, and specialized training within a unified e‑infrastructure. PRACE is considered one of the flagship organizations in its field. Establishing its representation — the national node — in Latvia will open unique opportunities for local scientists, innovators, and companies to build capacity and acquire new knowledge and skills.
Main objectives of the project:
Establishment and management of the national node: To create and develop a sustainable national contact point in Latvia, coordinated by Riga Technical University in close cooperation with partners (University of Latvia, Institute of Solid State Physics, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, and Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis).
Provision of a unified e‑infrastructure and access: To integrate and scale local high‑performance computing resources, ensuring convenient and unified service management through the jointly implemented Waldur platform, which enables users to easily access computing capacities.
Support for the use of international resources: To provide technical and advisory assistance to outgoing infrastructure users, helping them prepare applications and optimize workloads to access European‑level high‑performance computing resources free of charge (e.g., LUMI and Leonardo).
Capacity building and training: To regularly organize specialized advanced courses, hybrid training sessions, student hackathons, and summer schools to strengthen researchers’ digital skills in data‑intensive sciences, involving high‑level international lecturers and experts.
International cooperation and integration: To promote Latvia’s full integration into the European Research Area and pave the way for participation in other high‑performance computing associations and networks (e.g., EGI, GEANT, OpenAIRE, and EUDAT).
Synergy with innovation and industry: To facilitate the practical transfer of computing solutions to strategic sectors and strengthen cooperation with industry, thereby fostering innovation and the development of high value‑added products in Latvia.
Project impact: The implementation of the project significantly enhances the international competitiveness of Latvian researchers, strengthens the national research and innovation ecosystem, and provides essential state‑level support for carrying out large‑scale and data‑intensive scientific projects.
Project reference: ERDF Project No. 1.1.1.5/3/24/I/004 “Report on the progress of implementing the national partnership plan for the ESFRI/ERIC ‘PRACE’.”
