Through this project, a new state-of-the-art lab was set up within a cluster of an immensely powerful digital artificial mind, incorporating 64 processing nodes, with 12 cores on each node and a super memory of 2 terabytes.

Forming part of the UOM’s Faculty of Science, the laboratory enhanced the capabilities of Malta’s alma mater in various scientific fields where students, academics and researchers from various sectors could explore deeper their theories and innovative ideas.

Apart from IT students and academics, this EU investment has become a focus point for various academics and students in a variety of fields and disciplines including medicine, architecture, cosmology, aerodynamics and air quality.

Through the new facilities, users are also being able to conduct research in areas which in Malta were still in their infancy, due to the lack of resources. These include modelling of complex systems ranging from protein molecules to regional climate.

‘Albert’ is now enabling Maltese academics and researches to follow training programmes in Malta which were previously not possible. Instead of having to go overseas, to use similar facilities, Maltese researchers are now being provided with full-training capabilities in developing software skills on multi-core grid systems.

As part of the EU’s overall goals to help small Universities, to develop further collaborations with the industry, such facilities are also being used in joint research projects between the University and various SME’s. This is further expanding the sharing of knowledge and research with the business community facilitating the development of commercially feasible projects.

The EU investment has also helped the University of Malta increase its internationalisation programme, attracting a significant number of foreign students to choose Malta for their tertiary education.