New C/C++ software development course at our Computer Science department draws over 50 new participants across the UK

Recently, we organised a two-week software development session in C and C++ for our staff and students where experts combined years’ worth of learning into 10 days of lectures, projects and hands-on mentoring.  

First workshop in C/C++ for multifaceted audience

Hosted jointly by our department of Computer Science, Advanced Research Computing, and DiRAC from September 11-22, the intensive course provided key foundational training to students and researchers requiring proficiency in C/C++.

The workshop marked the first collaboration between the three Durham groups to offer this type of introductory programming education.

It was attended by over 50 new MSc students, PostDocs and Research Software Engineers from all over the UK.

The workshop was led by Professor Tobias Weinzierl who said the aim was to equip participants without prior C/C++ knowledge with core skills needed across many computational science domains.

Putting new techniques into practice

During the workshop which spanned over 10 lecture sessions, our experts covered topics ranging from core programming concepts like variables and control structures to more advanced techniques such as object-oriented code.

Mini projects allowed for hands-on practice and synthesis of learning.

This workshop was organised in response to changing educational priorities that placed greater emphasis on languages like Python and less on C/C++ programming, which disappeared from many curricula in the UK.

In-depth programming skills are key to succeed as High-Performance Computing (HPC) software engineer, researcher in large-scale data analysis and computing projects, or in advanced MSc courses such as Durham’s MSc in Scientific Computing and Data Analysis (MISCADA).

Building on the success of this inaugural workshop, plans are now underway to offer more training at our Computer Science department going forward.

Additional training will cover topics such as debugging and code correctness, GPU programming and performance analysis. We are also developing a professional development programme for PhDs, PostDocs and Research Software Engineers.

Find out more

• Learn more about the work of Professor Tobias Weinzierl.
• Find out more about the workshop in C and C++.
• Find out more about the Master in Scientific Computing and Data Analysis (MISCADA).
• Find out about more professional development in scientific computing.
• Check out the courses we offer in Computer Science.
• Interested in studying at Durham? Explore our undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Our Department of Computer Science is growing, with ambitious plans for the future and an inclusive, vibrant and international community at its heart. Ranked as a UK Top 10 Department (Complete University Guide 2023), our students develop knowledge and gain essential and transferable skills through high quality teaching, delivered by a passionate team of leading academics.

Feeling inspired? Visit our Computer Science webpages to learn more about our postgraduate and undergraduate programmes.