Part of the Research Data Service Center, joint initiative of the University IT and Data Center (HRZ) and the Bonn University and State Library (ULB), visited the IN2AI-fair in Dortmund, a new specialised trade show on the subject of "Industrial AI-applications and research", which was held for the first time on 4 and 5 September 2024.  On its premier the IN2AI presented a large variety of renowned exhibitors and cooperation partners, who showed the newest AI-based technologies and products. Moreover, the IN2AI also offered a plethora of innovative technologies, talks and networking opportunities. Visitors were able to gain first-hand informations about the most recent developments in AI-research and to discuss their possible use-cases. A particular focus was laid on AI-based solutions to optimising IT-infrastructure, automised data analysis and future-oriented security solutions. Apart from the exciting talks, visitors had the opportunity to learn about innovative products and software solutions, as well as new challenges and current needs on the market. On the fair the research data team was not only able to experience new technologies and gain meaningful insight into practial AI-solutions, they also had the opportunity to get into personal conversation with leading experts of the industry and to strengthen existing partnerships as well as making new contacts – an important step to a digital future.

Almost exactly ten years ago the first HRZ-café was born: The HRZ-café is an opportunity to get information and for discussion, it primarily addresses IT-administrators from different departments of the University of Bonn. On average, it takes place every four weeks on the second Wednesday of every month. Besides the regular block "Information from the HRZ", the HRZ-café always leaves room for questions around the use of central IT-services as well as for discussions of current topics and challenges.  The forum not only serves to provide information, but also to share experiences and find solutions to technical challenges at the various institutes and facilities of the University of Bonn. Since its founding in 2014 through Martin Ragg, deputy head of the University IT and Data Center, the HZR-café has become an integral part to the IT landscape of the University of Bonn and offers a simple possibility to regularly discuss new developments, technologies and problems. In relaxing atmosphere, and since the pandemic also in hybrid form, its not only deepening knowledge but also strengthens the collaboration between centralised and decentralised IT-services. The 10-year anniversary was celebrated with a special surprise: For the first time the HRZ-café has also offered coffee – along with a slice of cake. To many more years of IT-exchange!

The eCampus team is again offering a wide range of webinars in the winter term 2024/25 to support you in digital teaching. You can read through the training program in Confluence (only accessible via BONNET/VPN) and then register directly via eCampus: » See the training program on eCampus (for teachers and staff) » See the training program in the eCampus Confluence Space (for teachers and staff) Offer for students We also offer eCampus introductions for new students: » See the training offer on eCampus (for students)     

Courses on IT topics are offered in the HRZ's own course room every semester. The lecturers of the HRZ are looking forward to your registrations for the following IT classes via eCampus in the winter term 2024/25:   Working with TEI: Gottfried Kinkel and the revolution of 1848 in letters Tuesdays: 08.10. - 21.01.2025, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., registration via eCampus starting September 1, 2024   MS Excel I - Basics 20.11.2024 - 22.11.2024, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., registration via eCampus starting October 15, 2024 06.01.2025 - 08.01.2025, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., registration via eCampus starting December 1, 2024 MS Excel II - Intermediate 27.01.2025 - 29.01.2025, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., registration via eCampus starting December 1, 2024 Image editing with GIMP Wednesdays: 13.11.2024, 20.11.2024 and 04.12.2024 (3 dates), each from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., registration via eCampus starting October 15, 2024 HPC courses HRZ news from August 26, 2024

Registration now open for HPC courses in winter term 2024/25: The HPC team at the University IT and Data Center is offering a series of exciting introductory courses and workshops (in English) on high-performance computing. The programme for the HPC courses in the winter term 2024/25 is as follows: Introduction to Programming with Python  Oct. 21-22, 2024 or Jan. 20-21, 2025 - 3:00 - 6:30 pm on each day Linux Introduction Course  Nov. 25-26, 2024 or Feb. 10-11, 2025 3:00 - 6.30 pm on each day  Introduction to Working on HPC Clusters  Oct. 23.-24, 2024 or Jan. 22-23, 2025 -  3:00 - 6:30 pm on each day  Version Control with Git  Nov. 27-28, 2024 or Feb. 12-13.02.2025, 3:00 - 6:30 pm on each day  Advanced Python for Scientists Jan. 13-14, 2025, 3:00 - 6:30 pm on each day   Building a Raspberry Pi Cluster Feb. 05, 2025, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm  All courses take place at HRZ, Wegelerstr. 6, room 0.012. (route description). Registration takes place via eCampus. Please note while registering: In ALL courses, you MUST join one of the groups to attend, just joining the event is not enough. That is because most courses are held multiple times, or additional dates may be added depending on the demand.

The University IT and Data Center announces an important innovation: The current ticket system KIX will be replaced by the new product Znuny. This will be done step by step and should be completed by the end of the year. The software previously used (KIX17) will not be further developed and will no longer receive support in the near future. The new ticket system (Znuny) contains many features of the current ticket system and supplements these with new options and improvements. In order to ensure a smooth transition for employees of the University of Bonn who work with the ticket system, the ticket system team will draw up targeted migration plans and organise training courses. If you are not yet working with the ticket system and would like to find out more about its advantages and possibilities, you can find further information in the section Ticket-System in the HRZ-Doku in Confluence (only accessible in Bonnet/VPN).

The Council of Europe invites to the second conference ‘Regulating the Use of AI Systems in Education’ on 24 and 25 October 2024 in Strasbourg. With this interactive event, the Council of Europe, with the participation of the University IT and Data Center of the University of Bonn, wants to discuss the necessary AI regulation in education. The conference is being organised by members of the AI&ED Expert Group, including Dr Christian M. Stracke from the University IT and Data Center. The AI&ED Expert Group was appointed by the Council of Europe to assist in the development of a specific European law for the ethical use of AI in education. The planned EU regulation on AI in education was mandated by education ministers in 2023 and will be presented and discussed at the upcoming conference. The EU Commission, EU Parliament and governments have now agreed on the adoption of the AI Act as the first international cross-sectoral AI regulatory law and published it. However, the education sector is left out and the Council of Europe wants to close this gap, for which it received a mandate from all European education ministries in September 2023. The AI&ED Expert Group is currently working on the draft AI law and recommendations for AI curricula. The first interim results were presented at the AIED Conference 2024 in Recife (see HRZ News from August 7, 2024) as part of a workshop and discussed with participants from universities worldwide. The aim is to adopt and publish this as EU law as soon as possible in order to enable the ethical and safe use of AI in universities. Registration still possible until 1st September 2024  We are pleased to be able to support this development on the part of the University IT and Data Center and would like to draw the attention of all interested parties to the agenda of the Council of Europe conference on 24 and 25 October 2024 in Strasbourg. Online registration (see agenda link) is still possible until 1st September 2024.

After months of renovation work, the second floor of the University IT and Data Center at the University of Bonn has finally been reopened. The reopening marks an important milestone for the HRZ, which had been struggling with the consequences of the incident since the fire. In October 2023, a fire on the second floor of the University IT and Data at Wegelerstraße 6 caused considerable damage. The fire, which started during ongoing renovation work, mainly destroyed the corridor and the immediately adjacent office. Fortunately, no people were injured. However, due to the heavy smoke development and spread, the entire office space on the second floor was no longer usable after the fire. This had a significant impact on internal operations, particularly with regard to the distribution of workstations in the HRZ. The loss of the second floor meant the loss of a third of the existing offices and workstations at the HRZ, which required a rapid and comprehensive response. In February 2024, the University of Bonn was able to provide the HRZ with premises at Poppelsdorfer Allee 24, which relieved the precarious situation. Now, after around ten months, the second floor of the HRZ is fully functional again. The rooms were ready for occupation at the beginning of August 2024 and are now available again to HRZ employees as desk-sharing workstations.