UbuntuNet Alliance is pleased to announce the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), effective February 2025. This pioneering agreement, set to run for an initial period of two years, marks the beginning of a promising new chapter in inter-regional collaboration between Research and Education Networks (RENs) in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
This MoU, the first of its kind between UbuntuNet Alliance and APAN, brings together two leading Regional Research and Education Networks (RRENs) united by a shared commitment to advancing research and education through collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of expertise. It is envisioned as a gateway to increased technical cooperation, mutual support, and collective progress for the benefit of the research and education communities across both regions.
“This Memorandum of Understanding between UbuntuNet Alliance and APAN marks a significant milestone in our shared commitment to advancing research and education networking across continents. By strengthening collaboration between our regions, we are opening up new opportunities for knowledge exchange, innovation, and digital inclusion. We look forward to working closely with APAN to empower our communities and build a more connected global research and education ecosystem.” Prof. Madara Ogot, CEO UbuntuNet Alliance.
UbuntuNet Alliance has long championed the value of collaboration, recognizing that meaningful progress is best achieved through shared efforts. This principle has driven its partnerships with other RRENs from around the world, including GÉANT in Europe and RedCLARA in Latin America. Now, by joining hands with APAN, the Alliance is expanding into new partnerships, opening up fresh opportunities to empower the African research and education ecosystem through deeper global engagement.
Under the terms of the MoU, UbuntuNet Alliance and APAN have committed to facilitating the exchange of information to support the sharing of technical knowledge, documentation, and best practices. The partnership also seeks to identify and explore areas of mutual interest for joint cooperation and innovation among their respective member communities. Both organizations will actively participate in each other’s events for networking, exchange of ideas, and communication purposes. In addition, they will collaborate in supporting the broader research and education community, including industry stakeholders and APAN working groups, and will jointly engage in capacity-building initiatives such as webinars, workshops, and training programs.
Through this MOU, UbuntuNet Alliance has already commenced the creation of a community of practice for D-Space engineers who manage institutional repositories in the community. The community is leveraging on the skills of several engineers from the APAN community to help share their expertise on the topic as the initiative is still in its early stages. UbuntuNet Alliance is currently inviting D-Space engineers on the continent to reach out to info@ubuntunet.net to express their interest in taking part.
More than a formal agreement, this MoU represents a shared vision of a more connected and collaborative global research and education landscape. As the partnership takes effect, UbuntuNet Alliance looks forward to unlocking new possibilities, co-developing impactful solutions, and strengthening ties between African and Asia-Pacific institutions. Together, UbuntuNet Alliance and APAN are laying the groundwork for a brighter, more inclusive future for research and education worldwide.