The Kosovo* Research and Education Network (KREN) was established in 2019 as part of the Kosovo Digital Economy (KODE) Project, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Economy. Conceived to address the urgent need for a unified digital communication infrastructure, KREN has since evolved into the backbone of digital education and research in Kosovo.
The collaboration between KREN (as part of KODE) and the World Bank has been widely recognised as one of the best performing projects in the region. This recognition stems not only from the technical milestones achieved, but also from the project’s effective governance, stakeholder engagement, and measurable impact on education. Through visionary planning and joint efforts with international partners, particularly GÉANT, KREN has transformed Kosovo’s digital education landscape.
At the core of this transformation has been the extension of high-speed network connectivity to all public universities and more than 250 schools, bringing roughly 30% of the pre-university sector onto a single, reliable digital platform. By leveraging GÉANT’s backbone and adopting best practices of various European NRENs, KREN has ensured that Kosovo’s academic and research community can access global research infrastructures, digital resources, and collaborative platforms with needful speed and reliability.
Connectivity, however, was just the beginning. KREN has built a comprehensive portfolio of services designed to translate digital infrastructure into tangible benefits for teachers, students, and researchers. Key offerings include:
- Learning Management Platforms (LMS) – Moodle, integrated with conferencing tools, to enable digital teaching, assessments, and collaboration.
- Videoconferencing and Collaboration Tools – supporting remote teaching, cross-border projects, and institutional cooperation.
- Digital Repository Services – preserving and sharing academic outputs, from theses to research publications.
- Security and Identity Services – ensuring safe, authenticated access to online platforms.
- Cloud and Processing Infrastructure – combining Azure Stack Hub and VMware to provide flexible, cost-efficient computing resources.
- eduroam – this GÉANT service is now available across all public universities in Kosovo, providing secure, worldwide roaming access for students and researchers.
These services make digital transformation visible in everyday learning and research, empowering institutions to share resources, conduct joint projects, and compete for international funding. The compact size of Kosovo’s education system has allowed KREN to operate as a one-stop model, providing a dedicated communication infrastructure for the entire community.
Looking ahead, KREN aims to expand connectivity to all pre-university institutions, strengthen cloud-based services, and support the Ministry of Education in implementing digital curricula. With plans to pilot AI applications across its scalable platform, KREN remains committed to aligning with European NREN practices and advancing Kosovo’s digital future.
“The collaboration with the World Bank and GÉANT stands as a best-practice example of how targeted investment, local ownership, and international cooperation can create transformative change. For Kosovo, KREN is more than a technology project—it is the foundation of a digitally empowered knowledge society.” said Agim Kukaj, Director of KREN
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
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