Evolving Research Infrastructure: HPC and Cloud Adoption in Higher Education

Why Read This Research

The landscape of high-performance computing (HPC) in North American higher education has undergone significant transformation between 2023 and 2025. This white paper explores how higher education institutions are adopting cloud infrastructure, with many employing hybrid strategies. Gain insight into the leading HPC providers, procurement trends among institutions, and more.

Key Questions Answered

• What are the leading high-performance computing (HPC) vendors and cloud providers?
• What are the cloud vs. on-premises high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure adoption trends among higher education institutions?
• What are the key drivers, benefits, and challenges of cloud high-performance computing (HPC) adoption?
• How are high-performance computing (HPC) use cases diversifying in higher education?
• How are institutions evolving their budget and procurement models to facilitate the adoption of cloud high-performance computing (HPC) services?

Features

• Software Category in Focus: Cloud Platforms
• Future Campus Impacts: Outcomes, Operations, Revenue, Risk, Innovate
• Author: Alpha Hamadou Ibrahim, PhD, Vice President of Data, Analytics, and AI, Tambellini Group
• Research Availability: August 2025

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Market Landscape: HPC Vendors and Cloud Providers 
4. Cloud vs. On-Premises Adoption Trends
5. Key Drivers and Benefits of Cloud HPC Adoption 
6. Primary Challenges and Barriers to Adoption
7. Use Cases and Performance Highlights
8. Budget and Procurement Trends (CAPEX vs. OPEX) 
9. Conclusion