Vilnius University Strengthens Its Role in the European Supercomputing Ecosystem by Joining a €60 Million Project

 The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) – a joint initiative between the EU, European countries, and private partners – has signed a €60 million contract with GÉANT – Europe’s leading collaboration platform for advanced network infrastructure and services for research and education. This project, to which Vilnius University (VU) is also contributing, aims to establish a secure, ultra-high-speed network interconnecting Europe’s major supercomputing, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing platforms. The new infrastructure is expected to accelerate advanced modelling and AI development across the continent.

‘Vilnius University and Kaunas University of Technology, as the main technical centres of LITNET in Lithuania, are participating in this development project, thus creating a new chapter in the history of Lithuanian research and innovation. We are proud to contribute to shaping the future of science in Europe,’ said Arūnas Stašionis, Director of the VU Information Technology Service Center and Head of the LITNET Board.

‘This high-speed and reliable GÉANT connection will significantly improve access to EuroHPC systems. It will strengthen our support for complex scientific, AI, quantum, and research challenges, and reinforce Europe’s high-performance computing infrastructure and digital sovereignty,’ stated Anders Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC.

The implementation stage will begin shortly, with the first capacity upgrade planned for 2026. The new network will connect VU’s supercomputing centres to the broader European supercomputing infrastructure, eliminating backbone bandwidth limitations and fostering deeper scientific collaboration. The infrastructure will operate at terabit-per-second speeds.

‘The benefits for the Lithuanian academic community are evident: smooth, high-speed access to Europe’s most advanced computing resources, new opportunities for international research, and a stronger national position in high-performance computing. The initiative will also bring wider economic and societal benefits by fostering innovation, digital sovereignty, and research with real-world impact,’ added Arūnas Stašionis.

GÉANT (the Gigabit European Academic Network) is Europe’s leading collaboration platform for advanced network infrastructure and services for research and education. It connects national research and education networks across Europe, including LITNET in Lithuania, enabling fast and secure data exchange among universities, research institutes, and academic organisations. The GÉANT network serves over 50 million users across 10,000 institutions and, through collaborations with partnerships, connects research communities worldwide, forming the cornerstone of scientific cooperation and innovation in Europe.

EuroHPC JU (the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking) is a collaborative initiative of the European Union, European countries, and private partners, aiming to develop a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in Europe. Its goal is to make the continent a global leader in supercomputing by acquiring and deploying supercomputers across Europe.

LITNET (the Lithuanian Research and Studies Network) interconnects the computer networks of Lithuania’s research, education, and academic institutions. It provides high-speed data transmission, wireless access, e-identity, cloud, and IT security services in Lithuania. LITNET is an integral part of GÉANT, one of the key drivers and pioneers of quantum technologies. Once LITNET fully implements quantum key distribution, it will ensure the highest level of secure data transmission available in Lithuania.