At the IT2026 Conference organized from 24 to 28 February in Žabljak, Montenegro, representatives of the National Competence Centers (NCCs) from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Türkiye gathered for a joint session titled EuroCC4SEE – What Have We Learned and Where Do We Go Next? The session provided a comprehensive reflection on the achievements of the EuroCC2 and EuroCC4SEE phases and outlined the strategic direction for the transition toward EuroCC3.
Across all participating countries, a clear pattern emerged: while the initial focus was strongly centered on awareness raising and academic engagement, the real impact was achieved through structured collaboration with industry, especially SMEs and startups. The presentations highlighted a gradual shift from general promotion of HPC and AI toward domain-specific use cases, proof-of-concept (PoC) projects, and hands-on support for EuroHPC access applications. Success stories ranged from AI-powered energy forecasting and financial technology acceleration to retail analytics, weather modeling, biomedical simulations, and large language model optimization.
HPC Serbia presented its experience in building a national HPC ecosystem through the PARADOX cluster, structured access procedures, targeted SME engagement, and collaboration with academia and public administration. The results demonstrate growth in the number of engaged user communities, increased industrial participation, and stronger integration with EuroHPC initiatives. However, common regional challenges remain: limited awareness of HPC benefits in traditional industries, lack of in-house expertise within SMEs and public administration, and the need for sustained national commitment beyond project-based funding.
A strong regional message was the importance of personal engagement and trust-building. Cold outreach strategies proved largely ineffective, while event-based engagement, direct consultations, and follow-up mentoring significantly improved results. The transition toward EuroCC3 is therefore characterized by deeper industry integration, closer alignment with national AI and digital strategies, stronger coordination with EuroHPC infrastructures, and the development of sustainable service models.
The session concluded with a shared regional vision: EuroCC4SEE has successfully established the foundations of HPC and AI ecosystems in South-East Europe, but the next phase must focus on scaling impact, professionalizing services, strengthening cross-border specialization, and ensuring long-term resilience. HPC Serbia remains fully committed to this collaborative regional approach and to advancing HPC, HPDA, AI, and emerging technologies in Serbia and the wider South-East European region.
