Flanders has committed €8.6 million to acquire a new TIER-1 supercomputer, which will be installed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) from November 2025.
The advanced computing system aims to accelerate scientific research and support local businesses, with its operational base set at the Nexus Data Centre on the VUB-Green Energy Park campus in Zellik, Flemish Brabant.
The funding, allocated by the Research Foundation Flanders with backing from the Flemish Government, will enable the installation of the supercomputer in a specially designed room, visible from the street.
NEC Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of the Japanese technology giant, has been selected to supply the system. The supercomputer will be part of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) network, enhancing computing power, cloud applications, and data storage capabilities for researchers and companies across Flanders.
Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) emphasized the broader impact of this investment.
“We are investing many resources in scientific research, but we also want the results of those projects to flow through to the Flemish economy and society as much as possible,” he said.
The new research tool is expected to significantly contribute to both academic and commercial sectors. The TIER-1 supercomputer is designed to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) within research, while also supporting non-AI applications.
Its capabilities will be made available to researchers at universities and other knowledge institutions, as well as private companies. According to VUB chancellor Jan Danckaert, the supercomputer will provide the “computing superpower” necessary for advancing research and development efforts in Flanders.
One of the primary applications of the new supercomputer will be environmental research. VUB Professor Wim Thiery highlighted its role in climate studies, stating, “The Flemish supercomputer will be used intensively for calculating future scenarios with complex climate models within our inter-university consortium of climate research teams.”
In the past, similar supercomputers have been employed to develop models of brain function and to map the spread of the coronavirus, underscoring their versatility in handling diverse research challenges.
The device’s environmental impact has also been considered. It will run on green electricity, and the heat generated by its operations will be reused to partially heat VUB campus buildings.
This sustainable approach aligns with broader efforts to minimize the ecological footprint of high-performance computing systems.
The arrival of the TIER-1 supercomputer is expected to enhance Flanders’ competitiveness in scientific research and innovation, providing a critical infrastructure for tackling complex problems in various fields.
As the region prepares for the supercomputer’s launch in late 2025, both the academic community and local businesses are set to benefit from its formidable processing capabilities.
