The Higher Education Commission has launched the Asi@Connect Project aimed to bridge the digital divide across Asia Pacific by developing high capacity information network for research and higher education. The project has been launched in collaboration with the European Union and Trans Eurasia Information Network*Cooperation Centre (TEIN*CC).
The project is aimed at bridging the digital divide across Asia Pacific by developing a dedicated regional high capacity Trans Eurasia Information Network for research and higher education, and leveraging the e-infrastructure developed for public service projects. The Asi@Connect provides dedicated high-capacity internet connectivity for research and education communities across Asia-Pacific, operating at speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which currently interconnects universities and research centres in 23 countries across the region.
It also connects 50 million European researchers and academics served by GÉANT network (Pan European Data Network for R&E Community) and supports collaborative programmes in areas such as earth observation, disaster warning, climate research, food security, delivery of e-health and e-learning. Pakistan’s involvement in collaboration will encompass work on high energy physics, internet access, e-culture, cyber performance, telemedicine, intelligent medical services, software defined network, open flow of OF@TEIN, Eduroam, Edugain, and Computer Security Incident Response Team development in Asia.
Deadline for submission for concept notes under Asi@Connect 4th call for proposals is July 15. The ceremony was attended by Jean-Francois Cautain, ambassador of European Union to Pakistan as chief guest and Wajiha Akram, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training as guest of honour. Dr Tariq Banuri, Chairman HEC, Lt Gen (R) Asghar, Executive Director HEC, Yong Hwan Chung, President TEIN*CC and a large number of professionals and academicians were also present on the occasion. In his address, Cautain said that the launch of Asia Connect in Pakistan will help bridge the digital divide across Asia Pacific and will cast a positive impact on efforts to strengthen connectivity for research and higher education in the region. He said that the EU followed certain principles to make strong connectivity between Asia and Europe productive and result-oriented. “The principles cover sustainability, transparency, and equal access to all stakeholders,” he elaborated.
He hoped that the Asia Connect project will enhance people-to-people contacts in addition to remarkable results in the form of strong research linkages among scholars across Asia and Europe. He expressed his pleasure that the project, under its 2nd Call for Proposals, has worked on “Campus Network Design and Security” by Pakistan Education and Research Network (PERN) and “Connecting the Unconnected – Internet for Underserved Rural Schools” by Balochistan University of Information Technology.
Wajiha Akram congratulated the HEC, especially the PERN team, on launch of Asia@Connect Project. She hoped that the HEC will keep playing its role in collaborative engagements with entities like TEIN*CC. She also shed light on the significance and scope of partnership with Asi@Connect.
Source: https://nation.com.pk/09-Jul-2019/hec-launches-asi-connect-project