SQL Server

🎤 Sing your favorite songs, laugh together, and meet new people at Wednesday Karaoke Night — a fun, relaxed midweek evening in a welcoming international atmosphere. Whether you love singing or just enjoy cheering others on, you’ll find a relaxed and friendly environment where it’s easy to join in and feel part of the group. Many guests come solo, and our team is always there to help you connect, join a group, and feel comfortable from the very beginning. You can expect a great mix of karaoke performances chosen by the guests, an energetic international crowd, upbeat vibes, and a cozy venue that’s perfect for singing, laughing, and socializing. 📅 Every Wednesday, from 19:30 till late 📍 The Room by Jungle Joy, St Julian’s 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 7€, including: – A free welcome drink – Full access to the event – Friendly team support to help you connect and meet new people 👉 No booking needed — just show up and enjoy the night. The earlier you come, the easier it is to sign up for songs and join the fun. We look forward to welcoming you! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

Quantum threats are real and no longer science fiction. One day quantum computers may threaten cryptography and Q-Day might already be in 2029. Google and Oratomic just published papers that bring practical quantum computing dangerously close. We're past "is this possible?” -stage and now it's "how long until someone drains Satoshi's wallet?" Meet Duncan Townsend, Principal Smart Contracts Engineer at [0x](https://www.0xprotocol.org/)/[matcha.xyz](https://matcha.xyz/). He joined in 2022 after serving as Co-Founder and CTO at Immunefi. With an M.Eng. and S.B. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT he will share his foresight and relevance of quantum computers- not only in regard to your Bitcoin wallet. No hype. Just facts. See you there to join the discussion! \*we open doors at 7 pm and the presentation is from 8-9 pm followed by open networking

Ready to soak up the Mediterranean sun and get active? Join Malta Mates for our weekly Wednesday beach volleyball sessions at the beautiful Sprachcaffe! Whether you're looking for a competitive game or just want to have some fun and meet international people, this is the place to be. Plus, we have full access to the swimming pool to refresh after the game! 📅 The Schedule We start at 19:00 (7pm) every Wednesday until 21:00 (9pm). If the energy is high, we can continue till 22:00 (10pm) 💪 🌊 Refresh & Relax Need to cool down? All participants have access to the Sprachcaffe swimming pool before or after their session. We have changing rooms and showers on-site, so you can go from the sand to the pool to the bar feeling fresh! ✨ What’s Included? • Beach volleyball court🏐 • Access to the swimming pool 🏊‍♂️ • Changing rooms and showers 🚿 • A great international community to socialize with! 🌍 📍 Location & Booking • Venue: Sprachcaffe, Pembroke. • Price: 7 EUR p/p Booking: To secure your spot on the court, please book your ticket here: 👉 https://www.nowonlinetickets.nl/Shop/Overview/F1CC5D6CABCE4F3CC81FFB14C4AF8884 🎒 Don't forget: Bring your swimwear, a towel, plenty of water, and your best team spirit!

Join us at the Microsoft Malta office for another evening of technical learning and networking around the Microsoft Data Platform. Two sessions. One foundational. One deep. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🧠 Session 1 — From ML to AI Agents: The Journey That Changed Everything ◆ The Data Introduction Session Before we talk about SQL Server 2025, we need to speak the same language. This session tells the story of AI from the beginning: → From ML and its narrow, task-specific roots → To large language models and the generative AI explosion that followed → To the agent landscape everyone is navigating but few have clearly mapped Models, agents, assistants, copilots, skills, tools — and the very different types of agents hiding behind the same word. You will leave with a mental model that makes every AI conversation, and every vendor pitch, easier to evaluate. ◆ No prior AI experience required. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🗄️ Session 2 — SQL Server 2025 News: AI Integration and More ◆ The Main Session SQL Server 2025 marks a turning point for Microsoft's flagship database engine. This is the honest version of the story. → The vector journey from Azure SQL to what SQL Server 2025 delivers in RTM → What is GA, what is still in preview, and what that means for production → DiskANN vector indexes, AI_GENERATE_EMBEDDINGS, AI_GENERATE_CHUNKS → CREATE EXTERNAL MODEL — calling LLMs without leaving SQL Server → Fuzzy string functions: EDIT_DISTANCE, Jaro, and when NOT to use vectors Build semantic search and RAG pipelines inside the database. No separate vector store required. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🤝 Networking The evening includes time to connect before and after the sessions. Whether you are deep in the Microsoft Data Platform or just getting started, this is your space to ask questions and exchange ideas with the community. 📍 Microsoft Malta Office

The Department of Tourism Management at the University of Malta, in collaboration with GDG Malta and UN Tourism, is organising a two-day hackathon taking place from Friday 8th May to Saturday 9th May. Chill with AI: Intelligent Urban Heat Mitigation Solutions This event brings together participants for two days of learning, building, and pitching innovative ideas. It includes a hands-on workshop on AI-driven prototyping, followed by a hackathon where teams will develop solutions and present them to a panel of experts. Participants are encouraged to bring their ideas and collaborate to create impactful solutions that help keep our cities cooler and more sustainable. Register your team using the form: https://forms.gle/fV8N1PFCcq9qL18L7 Agenda Day 1 9:00 AM: Workshop on Prototyping with AI 1:00 PM: Start of Hackathon Day 2 6:00 PM: Final Presentation of idea --- Hosted By James Gatt, Administrator AOSP Enthusiast Recognized Developer on XDA Developers Experienced with both AOSP and Device Engineering Matthias Bartolo, Logistics Matthias Bartolo (Graduate Student Member, IEEE) received the B.Sc. IT (Hons.) in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Malta in 2024, graduating with First Class Honours and ranking first in his cohort. He subsequently completed an M.Sc. in ICT by Research at the University of Malta in 2025. His principal research interests lie in computer vision, applied machine learning, and in exploring how AI may be harnessed to support and empower individuals. He has gained considerable experience working on real-world projects involving complex datasets, developing practical solutions in contexts where the way forward was not immediately apparent. In this regard, he upholds a strong commitment to integrity and embraces the ideal of being “a man for others,” striving to use his abilities in service of the greater good. Matthias is actively involved in multiple projects that bridge research and application, advancing computer vision and applied machine learning techniques while contributing to several peer-reviewed publications. He was selected as a member of the Google Developers Group in Malta, where he contributes to various projects and initiatives within the group and the university. Beyond his academic and technical work, he also forms part of several voluntary organisations, further reflecting his commitment to service and community engagement. In 2024, he was honoured with the Dean’s List Award by the Faculty of ICT in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements, and was robed by the Rector during the graduation ceremony as the top student of his cohort. Joseph Grech, Hospitality Matthew Mangion, Designer Andrea Filiberto Lucas, Marketing I am a Research Support Officer I within the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Malta and a Master of Science student specialising in AI. My work focuses on applied computer vision, intelligent systems, and dataset-driven research. I contribute to active research projects within the Faculty of ICT, with responsibilities ranging from model development and evaluation to data processing, automation, and system integration. I am particularly interested in bridging academic research with real-world applications through practical AI solutions and collaborative development. Jonathan Attard, Treasurer Gabriel Hili, Community Engagement --- Partners University of Malta (https://www.um.edu.mt/ict/ai) UN Tourism (https://www.untourism.int) --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-malta-presents-chill-with-ai/.

Date: Thursday, 7th May from 7pm to 9pm Place: Cafe Teatro, 100 Republic Street, Valletta Join us for another Film Club event where we will be discussing Baz Luhrmann version of "Elvis". The 2022 movie "Elvis," directed by Baz Luhrmann, explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, portrayed by Austin Butler. The film chronicles his rise to fame, his complex relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks), and his personal life, including his marriage to Priscilla Presley. We will not watch a movie but discuss it, so try to watch it before. This event is free, everyone buys his own drink.

🔔 Meet new people easily, enjoy great conversations, and experience Malta’s social life at Thursday Social Mixer - our weekly international meetup. Whether you come alone or with friends, you’ll find a friendly and open atmosphere where connecting feels natural. Many guests arrive solo, and our team welcomes you from the start, introducing you to a small group so you can begin chatting right away. The evening features our fun group-rotation icebreaker, the “Bell Speed Friendship” — every few minutes the bell rings and groups change, giving you the chance to meet many different people in a fun way. Expect an international crowd, great energy, and a beautiful venue perfect for socializing. 📅 Every Thursday, from 19:30 till late 📍 Surfside, Sliema 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 7€, including: – A free welcome drink – Full access to the event – Friendly team support to help you connect and meet new people 👉 No booking needed — just show up and join the experience. The earlier you arrive, the easier it is to join the first groups and make the most of the night. We look forward to welcoming you! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

Hi all! Next time we meet in Sliema on Friday 15:00 I will write the place on the Friday morning, depending on the wether indoor or outdoor. See you! A cozy coffee meetup for women to connect, chat, and share everyday moments in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

🛶 Discover one of Malta’s most iconic natural wonders on our Blue Grotto excursion, combining dramatic coastal views, a scenic sea-cave boat ride, and free time to explore the area at your own pace. Travel by private bus to the Blue Grotto, admire the famous turtle-shaped cave from the panoramic viewpoint, then enjoy a local boat ride through glowing sea caves where sunlight paints the water in shades of blue and emerald. After the boat tour, enjoy free time by the sea — relax, explore the village, have lunch, or take an optional swim in the Blue Grotto canal. If you like, it’s easy to connect with other international participants along the way, sharing the views and the experience. 📅 Every other Saturday 🕚 Meet at 10:30, departure at 11:00 📍 Meeting point: McDonald’s, Sliema 🚌 Return: around 16:00, same location 🌎 Who it’s for: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Online ticket required (limited spots), starting from €20, including: – Private bus transportation to and from the Blue Grotto – Scenic sea-cave boat ride – Guided walk and full team support – Event coordination and logistics 👉 Spots are limited due to transport — advance online booking on our website is required. Cliffs, sea caves, and crystal-clear waters await you along Malta’s coastline! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

GLOBALS On Tour: Malta 2026 Get your spot here: [https://events.clubglobals.com/GLOBALSOnTourMalta2026](https://events.clubglobals.com/GLOBALSOnTourMalta2026) GLOBALS On Tour: Malta 2026 is a curated mobile networking experience built around a Bus Tour format, designed to bring founders, investors, entrepreneurs, operators, and ecosystem builders together during EU-Startups Summit Malta. The experience connects the right people in motion, creating a more dynamic and intentional way to network beyond the usual conference floor. During the tour, selected startups will get visibility, founders and investors will connect in a more natural setting, and the GLOBALS team will facilitate curated introductions and meaningful follow-ups. Attendees can expect: • Curated networking with founders, investors and operators • Startup visibility and pitch-style conversations • Founder ↔ investor and founder ↔ operator introductions • Matchmaking supported by the GLOBALS team • Access to the GLOBALS Malta community • Useful local updates, meetups, after-parties and side event info • A high-energy networking experience during EU-Startups Summit Malta Who should attend? Founders, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate innovators, ecosystem leaders, business developers and professionals looking to expand their network during EU-Startups Summit Malta. Join us Ride with the right people, make meaningful connections, and move the conversation forward. Event link: [https://events.clubglobals.com/GLOBALSOnTourMalta2026](https://events.clubglobals.com/GLOBALSOnTourMalta2026)

Practical AI for Power BI Developers A year ago, “agentic AI” was mostly hype for Power BI teams. Today, it deserves your undivided attention. For Power BI pros, there is now a real opportunity to reduce repetitive development work, accelerate delivery, and help developers do more, but only when strong DataOps practices are in place to make AI workflows effective. This session is a no-nonsense introduction to effective AI patterns for Power BI and Fabric development. Along the way, we will make sense of the growing pile of terminology, including skills, plugins, hooks, and MCP. You will see examples of how modern AI tooling can help with development tasks across Power BI and Fabric, along with the prerequisites, guardrails, and DataOps principles needed to use it responsibly. Whether you're burned out on AI hype or already using Copilot CLI daily, this session will show you the foundations that are finally making AI-assisted development genuinely useful.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

We will show how to build custom agents with Microsoft Agent Framework. Attendees will learn how to build and custom host agents when Microsoft Foundry is not a viable option.

Bienvenue! Columbus French Conversation group invites you to our Saturday morning French conversation club. Expect a casual and welcoming atmosphere in which to learn french! I will bring my laptop so we can look up new vocabulary as needed! The venue is a beautiful French restaurant so you can really get into the zone :)

Our monthly PHP meetup. A virtual shindig courtesy of Zoom. Check back here for the details around 6:15 pm

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month John Lairson will share a notebook describing the Alpaca (Paper) Trading API and discuss different algorithms for evaluating stock trades. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com