University IT and Data Center

In addition to the weekly, open video consultation hours,  in which questions can be asked about the structure, design, macros, functionalities and templates, the Atlassian team at the University Computing Center also offers Confluence training courses for Confluence users.

The short training courses with small exercises are designed for newcomers to working with Confluence. Participants receive an overview of the core functions of Confluence so that they can start working with Confluence immediately after the training.

The next dates:

• Monday, 26.08.2024 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, 23.09.2024 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Duration of the training: 60-90 minutes

Technical implementation: Zoom and Confluence (the Zoom meeting room will be opened 10-15 minutes before the start of the training to clarify any technical questions).

You will receive the access data in the Atlassian Tools area in Confluence (only accessible in BONNET/VPN).

Prior registration is not required.

Interested members of the university should participate in this training with a computer/laptop from the university network (BONNET) or via VPN. Confluence is only accessible via BONNET or VPN.

Inspired by the recently founded "Think Tank KI" of the University of Bonn, colleagues at the HRZ—whose usual responsibilities are already related to AI—have connected in an internal focus group under the name HRZ AI-Lab for the first time.

It is the objective of the HRZ AI-Lab to combine the existing knowledge of the HRZ staff about AI and respective expertise in core areas of AI, in order to support and actively enrich the work and development of the Think Tank AI. 

The meetings and events within the context of the HRZ AI-Lab are meant to give every interested employee at the HRZ the opportunity to discuss the development and use of AI-machines and to gain first practical experiences. 

First hackathon on 20 June 2024

On 20 June 2024, the first internal "hackathon" on the topic of AI took place as part of the HRZ AI Lab.

Initial experiences with large language models (LLMs) were gained during the event. For this purpose, virtual machines were set up in advance and the challenges and hopes for a possible productive operation at the HRZ were recorded. During the hackathon, various tasks were tested, including the operation of own models, the possible management of models, the strengths and weaknesses of user interfaces and the use of own databases. In the second step, the connection of GPUs is planned, which not only accelerate computing power, but also make some AI applications such as computer vision possible in the first place.

Scientific basis of AI

In preparation for the hackathon in the context of the HRZ AI-Lab the scientific background of an AI was explored. Three key areas were identified:

• Machine Learning (ML): An aspect of AI that is concerned with the developments of algorithms and techniques to allow computers to learn from data and make predictions.
• Neuronal Networks: Models which are inspired by the structure and functionality of the human brain and can be used for the processing of complex data patterns.
• Data science: The use of statistical methods and algorithms to analyse and interpret large amounts of data and their processing and use for the methods of AI. 

On 4 July 2024 it was time: The University of Bonn's annual Bergfest attracted students in the second half of their studies into the University's Botanical Garden for a day under the premise of "Celebrating the Achieved and Empowering for the Oncoming". The University IT and Data Center (HRZ) was also present with its own booth and presented a special highlight: A digital HRZ quiz for students to test their knowledge about the University's central IT-services. 

Directly at the entrance of the advice fair inside the mediterannean house was the HRZ booth: the 3D printer in production, informative posters and the friendly faces of the HRZ-employees invited the visitors of the Bergfest to learn more about the various IT-services of the University. Here students could not only ask questions but were also informed and advised by experts about central services, tools and storage solutions for research data, and possibilities for CPU-intensive research projects.

The big HRZ-quiz: Test your knowledge and win useful gadgets 

This day's highlight at the HRZ stand was the big HRZ-quiz: under the slogan "How well do you know your IT-services?" students could participate in the quiz in small groups or as individuals on the HRZ-tablets. A broad spectrum was covered by the questions and participants were challenged to demonstrate their knowledge about the different offers and services of the HRZ. Of course all quiz participants could get prizes: from useful gadgets such as the HRZ-Bergfest-bookmark from the 3D-printer to the exclusive HRZ carrier bag - the students went home not only with new knowledge but also with useful souvenirs. 

With Recogito Studio, the University IT and Data Center (HRZ) provides all lecturers with a system for the collaborative editing and annotation of media. The annotation tool can be used to annotate and analyze texts as well as graphics, images, photos and PDFs. Recogito Studio can be integrated into all courses and can also be used for small group work. Recogito Studio can be accessed in BONNET/via VPN at the URL http://recogito.uni-bonn.de and is therefore an important part of the digital infrastructure for studying and teaching at the University of Bonn.

Are you interested in working with Recogito Studio?

In the introduction video (see below) you will get a first insight into the use of Recogito Studio: