Achievements of GÉANT2

GÉANT2 has enormous potential to shape the future development of research and education across Europe. Past generations of pan-European research networking have clearly demonstrated the “multiplier” effect of high-quality, high-bandwidth networks. In connecting researchers to each other, research networking enables activities that were previously impossible or inefficient. In addition, it stimulates interest in developing new research techniques which make full use of networking technologies.

The demands made on the network by researchers, and the desire to support Europe’s researchers with state-of-the-art facilities, mean research and education networks are reserved for use by the academic community. The services they provide are typically several years ahead of those provided by their commercial counterparts. Providing these advanced facilities helps keep researchers at the forefront of their respective fields of research, retaining and developing academic expertise in Europe and ultimately boosting Europe’s competitiveness.

GÉANT2’s integrated programme of research activities and production services will interact to offer end-to-end service quality and range unrivalled in research networks. It will also work towards closing the ‘digital divide’ that still exists within Europe through the targetted use of public funding, and through technology and knowledge transfer to less developed regions.