The GÉANT Twinning Programme continues to be a driving force in global research and education networking, facilitating dynamic, six-month collaborations designed not just for knowledge exchange, but for building long-lasting professional relationships between NRENs worldwide. The 2025 cycle has underscored this mission, bringing together two high-impact pairings.
Extending collaboration worldwide
The success of the Twinning model has amplified its global ambition. We are now actively working to extend this collaboration worldwide, with projects currently in the pipeline that seek to connect European NRENs with their counterparts in South America. Furthermore, we are hoping for significant future interaction with the Asian NREN community.
The robust structure and practical deliverables of the Twinning model have garnered significant positive attention within the wider research and education community. We view the programme’s success, particularly its focus on capacity building, as evidence of its strong potential for replication in other global regions, including in partnership with initiatives like the AfricaConnect project and networks such as Asia Pacific Network (APAN). We are encouraged by the growing interest and firmly believe this model is setting a standard for effective international collaboration
Deeper collaboration: teams not just individuals
Experience gained through the four Twinning projects to date clearly demonstrates that collaboration moves far beyond the named individuals in the proposals; complete teams get involved. Especially during site visits, the hosting NREN typically invites a wide range of staff members to contribute to and participate in the knowledge transfer sessions, ensuring the development of broad, institutional capabilities.
LEARN (Sri Lanka) & SURF (The Netherlands)
The Sri Lankan NREN, LEARN, and the Dutch NREN, SURF, focused their collaboration on enhancing service adoption within LEARN’s constituency by applying SURF’s Life Cycle Portfolio Management Processes. The LEARN team presented their project’s objectives and intermediate results at TNC25, showcasing their advancements and progress.
The LEARN team visiting Utrecht, NL
“It is incredibly valuable to get to know another NREN. Since we are both member-based organizations, we can exchange experiences and learn from each other. Our colleagues also really enjoyed meeting them at our gathering in Utrecht and hearing about how it works in Sri Lanka.” Femke van Manen, SURF
“The LEARN–SURF Twinning has been an invaluable opportunity for us to strategically strengthen how we design, deliver, and engage our services with member institutions. This collaboration marks a step forward in transforming LEARN’s engagement and service innovation culture to build stronger bonds with our members through strategically responding to their evolving needs.” Shashini Withanage, LEARN
A prime example of the programme’s success is the JISC-KENET collaboration, where the working relationship is clearly ongoing even after the official project duration concluded. This establishment of enduring relationships—the people-to-people connections—is the core objective we strive for, moving beyond simple knowledge exchange.
JISC (UK) & KENET (Kenya)
The strategic partnership between the British NREN, JISC, and the Kenyan NREN, KENET, successfully addressed the critical issue of extending eduroam access to off-campus users, among other key topics. The JISC-KENET team effectively presented their project results and successful outcomes at TNC25, demonstrating the rapid, practical impact of the Twinning model.
Jisc and KENET at work. Credits to Jisc.
“Visiting Kenya was a transformative experience for the Jisc team, marked by deep collaboration, cultural exchange, and technical innovation. The experience fostered genuine friendships, broadened Jisc’s global perspective, and laid the foundation for future collaboration rooted in mutual respect and shared goals. Together with KENET, Jisc staff engaged in hands-on testing of eduroam using satellite and mobile connectivity in the remote Kapiti Research Station, overcoming regulatory and technical hurdles with local support. The visits also included strategic meetings with KENET leadership, stakeholders, and government representatives, offering insights into Kenya’s digital inclusion efforts. A truly inspiring opportunity for us.” David Patterson, Jisc.
“The twinning programme created a strong foundation for continued cooperation, service enhancement, and the potential scaling of successful outcomes across the wider NREN community. From the experiences and lessons learnt, KENET anticipates increasing the adoption of eduroam for the entire research and academic community in Kenya, increase automation and cyber security of the NREN ecosystem in Kenya, and improve its processes for service delivery to the Kenyan ecosystem.” Kennedy Aseda, KENET
Call for proposals: Twinning Programme 2026
We are now really looking forward to welcoming the new Twinning teams. We cordially invite NRENs from all over the world to join our ambition and build their own long-lasting partnerships.
Submissions for the next Twinning period in 2026 are now open! Please note the firm deadline for proposal submissions is the end of October 2025.
To learn more about the programme and submit your proposal, please contact the Twinning Chair Leonie Schäfer at twinning@list.geant.org.
This article is featured on CONNECT50, the latest issue of the GÉANT CONNECT Magazine!
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