diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ab8e92c443e6b9fabcb4a5f6679703956b9101be..2d20884123bf83a51d9848c71963bd90e33aaecc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,9 +78,5 @@ commercial Python distributions -- and use `conda` or `mamba` together with the
 ### Jupyter presentation via RISE
 
 * Presentation of the Jupyter notebook cells as slides is possible via the [RISE](http://rise.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html) extension.
-  * Installation
-    * `pip install RISE`
-    * `jupyter-nbextension install rise --py --sys-prefix`
-    * `jupyter-nbextension enable rise --py --sys-prefix`
   * To enter presentation mode, simply press <Alt+r> from within a notebook.
 
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 4f31eed2d1b7518eb9d92ee473d7372582571ec7..0ce4a14d54cc75d61da4521db109ff9504456ca9 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ channels:
   - conda-forge
   - nodefaults
 dependencies:
-  - python=3.12
+  - python=3.11
   - pip
   - libopenblas=*=*openmp*
   - numpy
@@ -26,5 +26,6 @@ dependencies:
   - mpi4py
   - hdf5=*=mpi*
   - h5py=*=mpi*
-  # - jupyterlab
-  # - notebook
+  - jupyterlab
+  - notebook<7
+  - rise
diff --git a/examples/slurm/submit_mpi4py.sh b/examples/slurm/submit_mpi4py.sh
index d789d21cb94a963868969cd61aa9ac8992d19d20..2d526095af5d50f0f034f58af5129c09c34bf88e 100644
--- a/examples/slurm/submit_mpi4py.sh
+++ b/examples/slurm/submit_mpi4py.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash -l
 #
-# Example job script for using MPI4PY on Cobra@MPCDF.
+# Example job script for using MPI4PY on Raven@MPCDF.
 #
 #SBATCH -o ./job.out.%j
 #SBATCH -e ./job.err.%j
@@ -8,17 +8,17 @@
 #SBATCH -J PYTHON_MPI
 #SBATCH --mail-type=none
 #SBATCH --nodes=1
-#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=40
+#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=72
 #SBATCH --cpus-per-task=1
 #SBATCH --time=00:10:00   # run time in h:m:s, up to 24h possible
 
 module purge
-module load gcc/10 impi/2019.9
-module load anaconda/3/2021.05
-module load mpi4py/3.0.3
+module load gcc/13 openmpi/4.1
+module load anaconda/3/2023.03
+module load mpi4py/3.1.5
 
 # avoid overbooking of the cores which would occur via NumPy/MKL threading
 # as the parallelization takes place via MPI tasks
 export OMP_NUM_THREADS=${SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK:-1}
 
-srun python ./python_mpi4py.py
+srun python3 ./python_mpi4py.py
diff --git a/examples/slurm/submit_multiprocessing.sh b/examples/slurm/submit_multiprocessing.sh
index c1f112c865c70ef0d1feac982f44fd61dc74d0d8..c773a4f887c2f31a33fb0d3e8543071165780ac3 100644
--- a/examples/slurm/submit_multiprocessing.sh
+++ b/examples/slurm/submit_multiprocessing.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash -l
 #
-# Example job script for using Python-Multiprocessing on Cobra@MPCDF.
+# Example job script for using Python-Multiprocessing on Raven@MPCDF.
 #
 #SBATCH -o ./job.out.%j
 #SBATCH -e ./job.err.%j
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 #SBATCH --mail-type=none
 #SBATCH --nodes=1
 #SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=1   # only start 1 task via srun because Python multiprocessing starts more tasks internally
-#SBATCH --cpus-per-task=40    # assign all the cores to that first task to make room for Python's multiprocessing tasks
+#SBATCH --cpus-per-task=72    # assign all the cores to that first task to make room for Python's multiprocessing tasks
 #SBATCH --time=00:10:00
 
 module purge
-module load gcc/10 impi/2019.9
-module load anaconda/3/2021.05
+module load gcc/13 openmpi/4.1
+module load anaconda/3/2023.03
 
 # avoid overbooking of the cores which might occur via NumPy/MKL threading,
 # as the parallelization takes place via processes/multiprocessing
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ export OMP_NUM_THREADS=1
 
 # pass the number of available cores via the command line, and
 # use that number to spawn as many workers from multiprocessing
-srun python ./python_multiprocessing.py $SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK
+srun python3 ./python_multiprocessing.py $SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK
diff --git a/examples/slurm/submit_multithreading.sh b/examples/slurm/submit_multithreading.sh
index dec6259819bc738de180903905e0b1e48a4fd5ad..b632564e61a5500f053a367bbe755f7b728774f9 100644
--- a/examples/slurm/submit_multithreading.sh
+++ b/examples/slurm/submit_multithreading.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash -l
 #
-# Example job script for using Python with Multithreading (OpenMP, Numba, numexpr) on Cobra@MPCDF.
+# Example job script for using Python with Multithreading (OpenMP, Numba, numexpr) on Raven@MPCDF.
 #
 #SBATCH -o ./job.out.%j
 #SBATCH -e ./job.err.%j
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 #SBATCH --mail-type=none
 #SBATCH --nodes=1
 #SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=1   # only start 1 task via srun because Python multiprocessing starts more tasks internally
-#SBATCH --cpus-per-task=40    # assign all the cores to that first task to make room for Python's multiprocessing tasks
+#SBATCH --cpus-per-task=72    # assign all the cores to that first task to make room for Python's multiprocessing tasks
 #SBATCH --time=00:10:00
 
 module purge
-module load gcc/10 impi/2019.9
-module load anaconda/3/2021.05
+module load gcc/13 openmpi/4.1
+module load anaconda/3/2023.03
 
 # set the correct number of threads for various thread-parallel modules
 export OMP_NUM_THREADS=$SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ export NUMEXPR_NUM_THREADS=$SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK
 # pin OpenMP threads to cores
 export OMP_PLACES=cores
 
-srun python ./python_multithreading.py
+srun python3 ./python_multithreading.py
diff --git a/examples/slurm/submit_sequential.sh b/examples/slurm/submit_sequential.sh
index 1c6dd5f7ef72df71c3b4679b73dca95c74bdbdef..1ccc32945786c41b113303bb29aac09de5a2a187 100644
--- a/examples/slurm/submit_sequential.sh
+++ b/examples/slurm/submit_sequential.sh
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 #SBATCH --time=0:10:00     # run time, up to 24h
 
 module purge
-module load gcc/10 impi/2019.9
-module load anaconda/3/2021.05
+module load gcc/13 openmpi/4.1
+module load anaconda/3/2023.03
 
 # avoid overbooking of the cores which might occur via NumPy/MKL threading
 export OMP_NUM_THREADS=${SLURM_CPUS_PER_TASK:-1}
 
-srun python ./python_hello_world.py
+srun python3 ./python_hello_world.py
diff --git a/notebooks/01--Introduction.ipynb b/notebooks/01--Introduction.ipynb
index 7c5d5190375947f7797efb001c97a96ace960fcb..5f8cee4c4e60ab29485c4fd35bd2d71b5004337d 100644
--- a/notebooks/01--Introduction.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/01--Introduction.ipynb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "\n",
     "Sebastian Kehl, Sebastian Ohlmann, Klaus Reuter\n",
     "\n",
-    "_25-27 July 2023_\n",
+    "_26-28 November 2024_\n",
     "\n",
     "HPC Application Support Group\n",
     "\n",
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
    },
    "source": [
     "### Software Option 2: Python infrastructure on the MPCDF HPC systems\n",
-    "* Python is provided via the Anaconda Python Distribution\n",
+    "* Python is provided via conda-based Python distributions (now based on 'conda-forge', historically Anaconda)\n",
     "* software is accessible via environment modules, e.g.  \n",
     "    `module purge`  \n",
     "    `module load gcc/12 impi/2021.9`  \n",
@@ -210,8 +210,15 @@
    "source": [
     "### Software Option 3: Python environment for your local computer\n",
     "* On a recent Linux system, install all the necessary packages via the package manager\n",
-    "* Alternatively, install the Anaconda Python Distribution (https://www.anaconda.com) and use the `conda` package manager and the file `environment.yml` to add all necessary packages"
+    "* Alternatively, install [Miniforge](https://conda-forge.org/miniforge/) and use the `conda` package manager and the file `environment.yml` that is provided together with the course material to add all necessary packages"
    ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {},
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": []
   }
  ],
  "metadata": {
@@ -231,9 +238,9 @@
    "name": "python",
    "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
    "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
-   "version": "3.10.12"
+   "version": "3.12.7"
   }
  },
  "nbformat": 4,
- "nbformat_minor": 2
+ "nbformat_minor": 4
 }
diff --git a/notebooks/03--Python_Refresher.ipynb b/notebooks/03--Python_Refresher.ipynb
index 21f56006d2cdd53bbb2d8070312c1319177bff16..7a354976aba33004ffa844514300dde0fe8f6dd1 100644
--- a/notebooks/03--Python_Refresher.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/03--Python_Refresher.ipynb
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
    "cell_type": "markdown",
    "metadata": {
     "collapsed": true,
+    "jupyter": {
+     "outputs_hidden": true
+    },
     "slideshow": {
      "slide_type": "subslide"
     }
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@
     "### Python: History and Status\n",
     "* First version released in 1991 by G. van Rossum\n",
     "* [Implementations](https://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonImplementations): **cPython**, PyPy, Pyston, ...\n",
-    "* Language versions: 2.7 (legacy, ✞2020), now 3.8 - 3.11  \n",
+    "* Language versions: 2.7 (legacy, ✞2020), now 3 (relevant versions are 3.8 - 3.13)  \n",
     "  (to migrate legacy code, the packages `2to3`, `six`, `future` are helpful)"
    ]
   },
@@ -869,7 +872,6 @@
    "cell_type": "code",
    "execution_count": 16,
    "metadata": {
-    "scrolled": false,
     "slideshow": {
      "slide_type": "skip"
     }
@@ -1436,9 +1438,9 @@
    "name": "python",
    "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
    "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
-   "version": "3.10.12"
+   "version": "3.12.7"
   }
  },
  "nbformat": 4,
- "nbformat_minor": 2
+ "nbformat_minor": 4
 }
diff --git a/notebooks/05--NumPy_SciPy.ipynb b/notebooks/05--NumPy_SciPy.ipynb
index e2e6d9acb74dd156b91b6fa1d01a3fc7c80e76f6..5b514112b91bcd479f72d6d3a71c2f7cda760f73 100644
--- a/notebooks/05--NumPy_SciPy.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/05--NumPy_SciPy.ipynb
@@ -814,7 +814,8 @@
    },
    "source": [
     "* performance is problem- and size-dependent\n",
-    "* $\\to$ may be faster, but not necessarily!"
+    "* $\\to$ may be faster, but not necessarily!\n",
+    "* keep mutability in mind!"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -1788,7 +1789,7 @@
    "name": "python",
    "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
    "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
-   "version": "3.10.12"
+   "version": "3.11.10"
   },
   "rise": {
    "enable_chalkboard": true,