The Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) successfully hosted ZAMREN Week and Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2026 from 4–8 May 2026 at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone, Zambia. Held under the theme “Growing Together,” the event brought together members of Zambia’s research and education community alongside participants from National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) across Africa and beyond.
Over the years, ZAMREN Week has become an important gathering for researchers, university leaders, ICT professionals, librarians, policymakers, and partners within the research and education networking space. The conference provides a platform for discussions on digital transformation, cybersecurity, research collaboration, open science, connectivity, and innovation in higher education and research.
This year’s event also attracted participation from regional and international partners, including UbuntuNet Alliance, reflecting the close collaboration that exists between ZAMREN and the wider African NREN community. As one of the member NRENs of UbuntuNet Alliance, ZAMREN continues to work closely with the Alliance on initiatives aimed at strengthening research and education networking services and collaboration across Eastern and Southern Africa. Among the high-level delegates present at the conference was UbuntuNet Alliance Board Chairperson Helicy Ng’ambi, whose participation highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in advancing research and education networking on the continent.
One of the key highlights of ZAMREN Week 2026 was the Open Science Infrastructure workshop for librarians, held under the “Unlocking Potential: Elevating Open Institutional Repositories in Africa for Global Impact” project being implemented by UbuntuNet Alliance with support from Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI) through the Network Adoption Fund. The project seeks to strengthen institutional repositories across Eastern and Southern Africa by improving the visibility, accessibility, and long-term preservation of African research outputs. During the workshop, librarians and information professionals from universities and research institutions received practical training on Open Science principles, FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data practices, and the use of persistent identifiers such as ORCID, DOI, and ROR to enhance research discoverability and interoperability.
As ZAMREN Week 2026 closed, participants celebrated another successful gathering that strengthened partnerships and encouraged dialogue among stakeholders in the research and education sector. UbuntuNet Alliance congratulates ZAMREN for successfully organizing the event and remains pleased to participate in conferences and initiatives led by member NRENs across the region. Highlights for ZAMREN week can be accessed via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/zamnren/photos