1. Connecting Nepal to the global Research and Education Network
Rajan Parajuli
Nepal Research and Education Network

2. Outline Research and Education Network (REN)
Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN)
Possible contribution from NREN side to push open access movement forward

3. Research & Education Network (REN)
Provision of Computer networks for interconnecting research and education institution.
Were established more than 20 years before to support bandwidth – intensive applications , and moving large quantities of data.
Operate by the research and education communities for the shake of sharing of knowledge , information and resources among the communities.
Unlike the “general’’ Internet it carries data related to education and research.

4. Some Global RENs Trans- Eurasia Information Network (TEIN) GEANT2
Internet 2
Asia Pacific Advanced Network

5. REN in Global Context

6. REN in Asia Pacific Context ( APAN and TEIN3)

7. Why REN?
Ensures the high speed communication among the academic communities.
Offers various contents and the application.
Fastest way to access global universities/research databases.
Provide opportunity to work / joint project with academic communities.

8. Who Manage REN?
In most of the cases, it is operated by not for profit organization. In our context, it is established and operated by Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN), a not for profit organization registered under Government of Nepal. All the countries have their own NREN, which is called National Research and Education Network.

9. So, what we have been doing here?
Connecting research and education institutions (our user includes universities, colleges, hospitals, libraries, research centers) with TEIN (global REN communities)
Building a nationwide research and education network by connecting Nepalese research and education institution.
Creating awareness on benefit of REN in Nepal
Supporting to strengthen network infrastructures and better campus network

10. Except our core responsibility, we have been working on different ICT based initiatives since the establishment.
Rural telemedicine
Climate change and disaster mitigation
Multi-countries knowledge sharing through video conferencing
Technical human resource development

11. Some of our Initiatives
I. Bridging Health Divide : Telemedicine
Conducting Telemedicine activities from city located hospitals by collaborating with Telemedicine society of Nepal

12. Contd...
Dozen of rural health post, district hospitals are connected via wireless and other available technology with hospital located in the cities.
Major aim of these activities includes: remote counseling, health knowledge sharing, and medical short term training.
Using TEIN3/TEIN4 bandwidth for facilitating telemedicine activities with the hospital located in USA, Japan, South Korea etc.

13. II. Climate Change and Disaster Mitigation
NREN established wireless network in 2007 with the financial and technological support of Keio university, Japan for the monitoring of potential vulnerable Imja Glacier, located near to the Mt. Everest
Set up weather station at the remote rural hills of Nepal for observation and monitoring of weather components.
At present working to redesign the Glacier monitoring project

14. Mt. Everest
Island (Imja) Peak
Imja Glacier
Imja Lake

15. Technology Deployed
Field Server and Sensors
Agent Server
Wireless Relays

16. III. Bridging Knowledge Divide through Sharing Knowledge
Focused to share best practices needed for the development of the nation.
As an affiliate of GDLN, facilitating several knowledge sharing series in different development themes.

17. Participating in Transport Infrastructure Development and Financing from IOE, Pulchowk
9 Countries 10 sites

18. Participating in Disaster Nursing Training - TU Teaching Hospital
52 Senior Nurses from 5 Hospitals in Kathmandu
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines

19. Where we can fit ourselves in Open Access/Open Science movement?
Providing fastest access to open access and open science contents (Gigabytes of research data can be downloaded in a short period)
As a connecter, we can physical connect knowledge hubs across the country and then connect them with International communities.
Many of the NREN’s provide its infrastructure to host open access contents.
Providing technical expertise in hosting/maintaining open access repositories.

20. Q&A

21. Thank you for your Valuable Time