University of Zagreb University Computing Centre (SRCE)

An Overview

The University Computing Centre (SRCE) has a long tradition in the area of information and communication technologies. It was founded in 1971 within the University of Zagreb, the only Croatian university at the time, with the purpose to enhance the implementation of information technologies in the academic community as well as in Croatia in general.

Today, SRCE is a central infrastructure institution that plans, develops, and improves e-infrastructure and digital services for the needs of the academic and scientific community in Croatia and provides support in their usage.

SRCE is also the competence centre for information and communication technologies as well as the centre for education and support in the area of ICT application.

 

Information systems developed and maintained by SRCE include
  • the national high education information system (ISVU web page)
  • academic id-cards management system (ISAK web page)
  • student rights information system (ISSP web page)
  • Croatian Qualifications Framework Information System (CROQF IS web page)
As a part of the Scientific and Technological Foresight project (STF), lead by the Ministry of science and education, Srce created a national research information system, abbreviated as CroRIS (CroRIS web page).
The development and maintenance of digital archives and data services is of significant importance for SRCE, together with the support and promotion of open science. Several digital archives and data services were implemented by SRCE alone or in partnerships, such as:
In the middleware area SRCE operates and coordinates Croatian research and education identity federation (AAI@EduHr web page) which is a part of the global research and education interfederation - eduGAIN (eduGAIN web page). SRCE’s middleware activities also include coordination of the eduroam - national educational roaming access service (Croatian eduroam web page), which is a part of the global eduroam service (international eduroam web page).
Advanced computing provides state-of-the-art computing infrastructure enabling researchers to solve complex problems that require significant compute resources - processors, accelerators, memory, shared storage, scientific applications and environments. Advanced computing has become crucial tool for various scientific fields such as artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, computational chemistry, climate modeling, engineering and many others.

SRCE provides following advanced computing resources:

  • Cluster Isabella
  • HTC Cloud
  • Virtual Computing Lab (VCL).
Built upon already many years of experience in maintaining and operating virtualization platforms, SRCE provides a cloud-paradigm based service VDC which would allow external users (academic partners and research institutes) access to and unrestricted control over various types of virtual resources, while preserving all features and advantages of running within a virtualized environment.
SRCE builds and maintains the network infrastructure for the University of Zagreb WLAN infrastructure (UNIZG-WLAN web page). Infrastructure is based on eduroam standard.

SRCE is hosting national internet exchange point Croatian Internet eXchange (CIX web page). Also, the international node for the pan European research and education network GÉANT which connects Croatian higher education and research area with European and worldwide, is located in SRCE. SRCE provides housing service for many relevant international internet providers in order to enhance the internet traffic management.

In 2022, SRCE celebrated 50 years of continuity as the centre for education and training in the area of ICT application. SRCE holds number of courses, workshops and educational activities related to information and communication technologies and e-infrastructure and services SRCE provides. They are available to teachers, students, researchers, IT specialists and academic community as well as to citizens. Number of courses are self-paced and can be reached as well through E-citizens portal.

The E-learning Centre at SRCE (E-learning Centre web page) has a central role in the systematic implementation of e-learning in Croatian Higher Education and provides support and training to teachers, students and institutions in use of e-learning technologies. The E-learning Centre is recognized on the national level, so Merlin- a virtual learning environment established at SRCE, contains e-courses from the majority of higher education institutions in Croatia. The E-learning Centre is also providing high quality and tailored support to users, especially to teachers along with teacher training in use of e-learning technologies and their implementation into educational process.

A significant part of the activities in SRCE are related to international programs. SRCE is a member of many international associations, with experts who participate in many international institutions and bodies, having leading roles in some cases. In 2022, SRCE will participate in more than 15 projects.

Role of SRCE

As the major national infrastructural ICT institution in the area of research and higher education in Croatia, the University Computing Centre SRCE is providing a modern, sustainable and reliable e-infrastructure for academic and scientific community. This includes computing and cloud services, high performance computing, advanced networking, communication systems and services, middleware, data and information systems and infrastructure. At the same time SRCE acts as the computing and information centre of the largest Croatian university – the University of Zagreb, and is responsible for the coordination of the development and usage of e-infrastructure at the University.

Furthermore, by applying cutting-edge technologies SRCE continuously enriches academic and reserach e-infrastructure and its own service portfolio. This enables the active participation of Croatia and Croatian scientists in European and global research and higher education area and projects.

Since its founding in 1971 as a part of the University of Zagreb, at that time the only Croatian university, SRCE has provided an extended advisory and educational support to institutions and individuals from the academic and research community in the use of ICT for education and research purposes.

From its beginnings, and still today, SRCE has been recognized as an important factor in the development of modern e-infrastructure at the national level, participating in different projects and providing services like Croatian Intenet eXchange (CIX).

Vision

In its activites, SRCE is guided by the following vision (the vision that represents the desired state of society, and especially the desired state of research and education system in the future):

Advanced information and communication technologies are ubiquitous in society, especially in science and education, they are effectively used in research and education process, ensuring high quality, excellence, affordability and international visibility and relevance.

Mission

Mission of SRCE arises from its vision and is defined as follows:
to be the leader in the creation and development of advanced and high-quality information and communication infrastructure and services, making them sustainable and accessible to institutions, teachers, researchers, students, employees and other stakeholders of the entire Croatian science and higher education system, especially the University of Zagreb. Such e-infrastructure should provide excellence in the activities of institutions and individuals in the academic community, supporting its leading role in society, providing developmental strides and connecting with global educational and research space, as well as the synergies of joint work and cooperation. SRCE encourages, and if necessary, enables the implementation of new technologies and advanced e - infrastructure in Croatian society.

Leading role of SRCE in the construction of advanced e - infrastructure is achieved through quality and accessible system of support, education and training users to use new technologies, and the collection and transmission of knowledge in the field of information and communication technologies. This broader understanding of the possibilities of information and communication technology raises the level and effectiveness of the application of these new technologies in all segments of society, especially in research and education.

Strategic objectives

The continuous strategic objectives of SRCE are:

  1. To provide access to the latest technologies and information services to the academic community, as a pioneering segment of society, as well as the Croatian society as a whole.;
  2. To ensure that all scientific and higher education institutions and individuals have reliable and sustainable information and communication infrastructure and services, as a foundation for their daily activities and work;
  3. To support innovative and effective application of information technology in society, especially in the science and education community through quality and accessible system of support, education and training users to use new technologies;
  4. To ensure that information and communication technology is easily, effectively and extensively used in the processes of education, research and business at the University of Zagreb;
  5. To collect and share knowledge about information and communication technologies and its application through collaboration and community assembly.

 

Management