HPC Stakeholder Sub-Committee

Terms of Reference

  1. Advising and reporting to IT Governance Committee
    • To advise IT Governance Committee on matters related to the use of HPC (High Performance Computing) across the University;
    • To advise IT Governance Committee on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the University’s HPC strategy, allocation policy and general activities.
  2. University HPC Strategy Objectives
    • To determine, review and champion the University's HPC strategy and its implementation, ensuring it helps deliver and is aligned to the IT Strategy, and University Research Strategy;
    • Overseeing spending of HPC funding, such as the IT Services Capital Framework HPC line items, ensuring that all spending is properly aligned with University Research Strategy and the best interests of University research;
    • Agreeing and maintaining a framework (Allocations Policy) for access to and use of University HPC facilities, including charging where appropriate, that reflects University Research Strategy;
    • To ensure the HPC allocation policy remain relevant and appropriate and to ensure compliance through the appropriate management structures;
    • Tracking external grant and contract income, plus research outputs (publications, citations, etc.) for research that employs HPC, HTC and related techniques, reporting on this as appropriate to PVC(R&I);
    • To receive reports from the Research Computing Team Manager on the status, performance, and usage of the University HPC systems;
    • To provide high-level, independent assurance for HPC related projects at the request of IT Committee or the IT Portfolio Board, to ensure the most appropriate project approach and governance is in place;
    • To ensure appropriate plans and approaches are in place to maintain the resilience of information systems and to maximise the continuity of IT provision.
    • To consider the environmental impact of energy intensive HPC use, and to investigate sustainability initiatives to reduce electricity consumption.
  3. Cycle of meetings
    • To meet at least three times per annum and on such other occasions as the Chair deems necessary.