From 26 to 28 February, GARR’s headquarters in Rome will host a meeting as part of the GN5-2 project, funded by the European Commission. The event, organised by GÉANT — the European research and education network — is part of Work Package 4 (Service concept development) dedicated to the development of new services.

Representatives from 14 NREN participate: Cynet (Cyprus), DeiC (Denmark), DFN (Germany), EEnet (Estonia), GARR (Italy), HEAnet (Ireland), Kifu (Hungary), IUCC (Israel), NORDUnet (Scandinavia), PSNC (Poland), Sikt (Norway), SUNET (Sweden), SURF (the Netherlands) and UKIM, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje (North Macedonia).

The programme includes sessions focused on project activity planning, with in-depth discussions on key topics such as communication, security, business models, and data management. Special attention will be given to the multicultural dynamics of collaboration and the sharing of approaches and tools to facilitate the achievement of common goals.

The meeting represents a valuable opportunity for exchange and growth for the research network community, working together to develop innovative solutions that support science and education on an international scale.

GN5-2 is funded through Horizon Europe and aims to enhance the connectivity infrastructure for research and education across Europe. The project’s objective is to deliver faster, more resilient, and more secure services, fostering innovation in collaborative services, digital identity federation, and expanding access to research networks. It supports open science and the development of advanced applications, such as quantum communication and using fibre optics as environmental sensors, contributing to sustainable connectivity and strengthening collaboration between research institutions.