Practical HPC 2025 Winter School Online Course
This online course will introduce African HPC users to the systems at the CHPC and help you develop practical skills in using the cluster for your scientific work. Attendees will learn the basics of using the CHPC Lengau cluster along with how to convert the computational intensive parts of their scientific workflow into a job script suitable for the CHPC. The Practical HPC course is 2 weeks long and will need about 4 hours per day, including daily practical sessions each afternoon.
Syllabus:
Self-study:
Before the course starts…
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Supercomputing MOOC (see below)
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CHPC Hardware
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The CHPC Systems
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Job Scripts and the PBSPro Scheduler
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Linux commands
Week 1 — Practical HPC:
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Advanced Job Scripts
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How to Fix Errors
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Applications—from Workflow to Job Script
Week 2 — HPC Software
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Scaling & Performance
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Installing Your Own Software
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Python virtual environments
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Matlab*
The online Winter School for 2025 is presented in collaboration with PRACE and EPCC, and the first 3 sections of the PRACE Supercomputing MOOC provide the necessary foundational information and concepts for the Practical HPC course.
PRACE Supercomputing MOOC
This MOOC is a focused introduction to High Performance Computing and the prerequisite for the CHPC Practical HPC online course. This course is 5 sections long and requires around 2 hours per section. The first 3 sections are needed for the CHPC Winter School that follows.
Note that you will only have access to the Supercomputing MOOC at no cost for 7 weeks.
Syllabus:
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Supercomputers — introduction to HPC
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Parallel Computers — the hardware
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Parallel Computing — programming supercomputers
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Computer Simulations
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Case Studies
*New for 2025: Matlab
The 3-hour Matlab module is presented in partnership with Mathworks and Optinum. This module will cover the use of Matlab for HPC with examples on the CHPC cluster.
How to sign up:
First sign up for the SC MOOC:
You should compete the first 2 sections of the SC MOOC before the CHPC course starts, and then complete the 3rd section of the SC MOOC before the 2nd week of the CHPC course.
Apply for the Practical HPC Winter School here (see the menu on the left).
Note:
Applications to enroll in the Winter School are moderated and will take 1 to 3 business days to process. Once your application is approved you will be enrolled from 1 July 2025 in the online course and receive login details via email.
You will need to complete all of the first 3 sections of the Supercomputing MOOC to be fully prepared for all the topics in the CHPC Practical HPC course.
Who May Apply
The CHPC Winter School is open to all CHPC users as well as students, postdocs and staff of teaching and research institutions from South Africa, SADC, the SKA Partner countries, and other African partner countries of the CHPC.
Limited Places
The 2025 Winter School has limited resources and and will only be able to include 80 students. Preference will be given to new CHPC users and those with genuine need. Successful applicants will be fully enrolled in the course and have access to the interactive sessions, quizzes and assignments during the supervised learning period.
Unsuccessful applicants may request access to the lecture notes and other non-interactive course material for self-study.
Timelines
Registration: open until 12:00 on 4 August 2025
Self-study: 30 June to 27 July for self-study
Practical course: 28 July to 8 August 2025 for supervised learning
Assignment deadline and close of course: 15 August 2025.
Important: Privacy
In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) No. 4 of 2013, please read the CHPC Events Privacy Notice.
Purpose for the collection of personal data:
- To make contact with you with any matters regarding this course;
- Information on your academic background is used to determine if you are eligible to participate in this event;
- To report to the Departments of Higher Education and Training, Science and Innovation, and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA).
The Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) is part of the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System (NICIS) and is managed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Please also see the CSIR legal notices — note that these links take you to the CSIR's web site: