High Performance Computing Wales
High Performance Computing Wales was a £44million five-year project to provide Wales with a world class facility in High Performance Computing, accessible to both academic and commercial organisations based in Wales. The project aimed to give Wales a supercomputing capacity and network at a scale not attempted anywhere else in the UK or Europe. It is being followed by another five-year, £15million programme of investment called Supercomputing Wales.
HPC Wales invested in state-of-the-art computing technology, infrastructure and facilities on a pan-Wales basis, high level skills development and training. It was estimated that the project would result in the creation of over 400 jobs.
The project is financially supported by:
- £19m from ERDF and ESF European funds channelled through the Welsh European Funding Office
- £10m from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- £4m from collaborating academic institutions
- £5m from the Welsh Assembly Government
- £2m private sector and research income
Two main computer hubs were created in Cardiff University and Swansea University, with connection to partners Aberystwyth, Bangor, Glamorgan, the University of Wales Alliance Universities and Technium business innovation centres around Wales. Professor Ian Cluckie was Chair of HPC Wales's Procurement Committee, and Pro Vice Chancellor for Science and Engineering at Swansea University.