1. Laos Education & Research Network
in present
NREN: LERNET Country: Lao People Democratic Republic (Laos)
Presenter: Phonekeo CHANTHAMALY
The 2nd Project Meeting/ August
Dalian International Finance Conference Center

2. About Laos Population (2016) 7.02 Million 30 p/Km2
GDP (by International Monetary Fund)
1600 US$
Higher Edu. University 5
Colleges 99
ICT Investment/Awareness for Education
Low
ICT Business in General Sectors
Normal (5 ISPs)
Internet Penetration
20 %
Internet in Higher Edu. Student Group
100% (Via Smart Phone)
About Laos
2000
2006
2010
2016
6000
(0.1%)
25,000
(0.4%)
527,400
(7.5%)
1,400,000
(19.9%)
Laos is poor in Development
But Rich in Eating

3. Organization NREN : Laos Education and Research Network (LERNET)
((( Not Yet Official Established )))
Number of member institutions(connected to in REN) :
It has not been an official REN
(NUOL is as an Initiate LERNET Representative)
However, the number of higher education institutions
- 5 Universities
- 99 Colleges
- If it is connected, Universities and Colleges in Vientiane Cap. City
will be the first group

5. (Lao National Internet Committee) (Vientiane ⇔ Nongkhai)
Backbone and Network
Backbone : In present, Only The Physical Link Between NUOL to UniNet (Thailand)
UniNet/ThaiREN
(Thailand)
LANIC
(Lao National Internet Committee)
NUOL
(National U. Laos)
Border
(Mekong River)
(Vientiane ⇔ Nongkhai)
Network Update :
National Connection, Not yet
International Connection: Only the Physical Link Between NUOL to UniNet (Thailand)

6. Activity update Plan Continue process in LERNET Establishment
Dissemination Workshop for TEIN / AsiaConnect / LERNET Roles and Its
Utility (Regional and International Case), estimated: The end of 2017.
Long plan
Convince Government for ICT Investment for Development, Including of both
Infrastructure and its Utilization (It would be Mega-Project for Laos)
Convince Ministry and Higher Education Institutions in Laos, aware with
Network based Educational / Research Collaboration.
Disseminate Lecturers and Researchers to Utilize Network based RE acitivities
Notice: Due to the Budget Plan is always the Plan in paper work
It is hard to be taken in Action, Especially Laos case.

7. Conclusion Present Status
Since the Stage of less Development of Laos, Education and Research have low Readiness to Use Network, then Low Investment in ICT based RE;
Up to present, NREN (LERNET) has been not official Establishment, It was just physical Linked from NUOL (a Largest Laos University) through ThaiREN/Uninet to TEIN, but not
in Practical used;
LERNET is a kind of Organization, It needs Budget for Development and Operation,
So It is deeply needed Consideration, Otherwise Fail in its Investment ! ;
Future
NUOL will be acted as LERNET, but It is needed Nomination for approval Activities;
LERNET Network Must be Developed (But it needs Budget ?);
It Would be Started Some Higher Education Institutions in Vientiane Capital City, then
Expand to Provincial area,.. ; ….

8. Thank you !! Mutual Understanding from Country by Country Background,
We can effectively work together,
Lao PDR is Less-Develop Country, Please be Considered as
Special Case
Laos would go Step by Step,
Therefore, Laos is Lao PDR
Thank you !!