From Creation of New Electronic Platforms to Acquisition of Supercomputer: New Opportunities at YSU

In YSU, electronic platforms were created and improved to communicate and receive information and increase the efficiency of education quality.

On the initiative of YSU, the "Registrar" platform was launched in March 2023. This platform provides students with the opportunity to choose subjects from the list of optional courses offered by the educational program. They may also follow their progress results, class list and exam schedule. The platform is also designed for lecturers to assess students.

It is noteworthy that relevant guidelines have been prepared for each process, which specify the sequence of steps to effectively use the electronic platforms. The circulation of applications, reports, references and orders are digitized through the platforms "Mulberry", "Supervision" and "Armenian Programs". Updates and adaptation of the "Supervision" system to the educational process continue. The system is also designed to digitize the educational process of students, contributing to the systematic collection of information.

To effectively manage time, a number of application types provided in the "e-request.ysu․am" platform have been added, which significantly contributes to the efficient organization of employees’ and students’ documents circulation process.

The other most important change of the year is the new website of YSU, due to which YSU presents itself in a unique, innovative style in the digital world with the most available and accessible opportunities to provide information.

The computer auditoriums were reequipped, where interactive screens and "smart" blackboards were installed. Wi-Fi network assessment and improvement were implemented and new equipment was purchased. It should be noted that works are planned to be carried out to expand the "Wi-Fi" network.

To ensure the development of information technologies and the maintenance of the computer network and equipment, works were carried out in the direction of integrating various electronic systems. All servers, server infrastructures have been updated.

To perform more competitive scientific and educational works in the field of artificial intelligence, YSU will acquire a supercomputer.

Much of the achievements in artificial intelligence in recent years, particularly the models used in systems like ChatGPT, may only be obtained with such powerful computing systems. It will bring an opportunity to carry out more competitive scientific works in the field of artificial intelligence.

Back in 2019, the RA Ministry of High-Tech Industry started negotiating with the NVIDIA company to acquire a supercomputer.

The supercomputer contains 64 video cards of the H100 type from the "NVIDIA" company, via which high-speed calculations may be done, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. An important feature is that those 64 video cards may be used as a unified system, using all cards at the same time.

The researchers of the YerevaNN Scientific-Educational Foundation and the YSU Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have started working with the researchers operating in the USA, in particular, the experienced specialist Armen Aghajanyan. By the end of 2022, A. Aghajanyan had submitted a proposal to have its own GPU supercomputer in Armenia. The proposal was first discussed in private circles and received great support from companies, scientists and venture funds operating in the same field in Armenia. Then the proposal was discussed with the representatives of the RA Ministry of High-Tech Industry, the Higher Education and Science Committee of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and the representatives of the RA National Assembly. The Armenian Society of Fellows (ASOF) organization also joined the proposal.

A professional council will be formed to make decisions about the use of the supercomputer. The supercomputer will be used by scientists, and in the initial period, the involvement of students will be organized through joining research works.

It should be noted that the supercomputer will be purchased with financial resources allocated by the RA Government. At the beginning of the year, the process of purchasing a supercomputer, as well as ensuring installation conditions, will begin.

The works carried out in the direction of the development and improvement of the scientific and research sphere in the university, as well as ensuring the high quality of education, are among the key priorities of YSU, the efforts aimed at which will be continuous.