IHPCSS: Building Community for Short Training Schools

The International HPC Summer School (IHPCSS), a week-long event, brings together around 80 participants and 30 staff from different countries to raise awareness of High Performance Computing (HPC) and showcase career opportunities. It also provides an extensive mentoring program and networking opportunities. This paper discusses the challenges of cultivating community during a short event like the IHPCSS. Firstly, it outlines the development of key policies such as the Code of Conduct and Health and Safety Policy to ensure a safe and inclusive environment. Secondly, it presents a community-building framework focused on activities aimed at fostering networking among participants. Finally, it explores communication channels and educational platforms to encourage interaction. Our experience has shown that community building requires creation of an open and safe environment, setting of clear expectations and usage of multiple communication channels.