The Community Hub returned to TNC26 as the informal space the community has come to know and love. It gave participants a place to discover community-led initiatives, exchange ideas, offer support, and meet peers from across the globe. The rule was simple and important. Every session was open to everyone.
This year brought a new idea to the space titled “Unplugged” and “Plugged-in” sessions, giving the community the flexibility to shape sessions in a way that worked for them. The two formats gave people different ways to take part, depending on the kind of conversation or activity they wanted to host.
Plugged-in sessions brought screens and live demonstrations into the Hub, giving participants a chance to see projects in action and hear directly from the people behind them. They showcased the work and ideas shaping research and education networks.
Unplugged sessions stepped away from screens and into conversation. These sessions were built around direct exchange, whether through discussion, storytelling, regional meet-ups or hands-on activities aimed at sparking creativity and connection.
The result was a lively, welcoming space. Across the week, the Community Hub hosted 20 sessions and 50 speakers. The Programme was evenly split, with 10 Unplugged and 10 Plugged-in sessions, and more than 600 people engaged with the space.
“I’m proud that the space has become a key part of TNC. Over the past three years, since its inception in 2023, the Community Hub has grown and improved, becoming a place the community continues to return to.
The Community Hub’s charm is being a space where members of the community can find their voice without the pressure of a big stage. We want to keep it informal and welcoming, a place where people can openly share ideas and experiences, learn from each other, and build meaningful connections.” Nadelina Sandu, Events Specialist (Community).
Community support for URAN
The Community Hub was also the home of the Humanitarian Support Group corner for URAN. Members were able to show their support through small but meaningful gestures, whether leaving a message of solidarity or making a donation. You can read more about the wider initiative in the article on the Humanitarian Support Group for NRENs.
Innovation Programme spotlight
The most attended session of the week was the GÉANT Innovation Programme spotlight, which welcomed 123 people. The session highlighted the projects selected for the 2026 edition of the Programme, with six awarded projects covering areas such as artificial intelligence, security, multimedia services and open-source software. It showed how ideas from across the community are being developed into practical prototypes that respond to real needs within the GÉANT ecosystem.
Open Mic brings the community together
A first for the Community Hub, the Open Mic was a huge success. There was poetry, music, singing and plenty of unexpected talent from across the community. It brought a different kind of energy to the space and is already one to bring back next year.
Conversations across the community
The Programme was shaped in consultation with the GÉANT Community Programme Committee (GCC), following discussions linked to the GÉANT Community Programme annual workshop. That collaborative approach is part of what gives the space its character.
Among the sessions that stood out for their interactivity, “What If NRENs didn’t exist?” and “Roam Play” were both reminders of what happens when the community is given room to think and play together.
Thank you to everyone who joined, hosted, listened or simply stopped by. The Community Hub works because people bring their ideas and their curiosity into the space, and we look forward to seeing it return next year.
